Health
Combining Morning-After Pill With Another Common Drug Makes It More Effective
- Combining the two drugs prevented 30% more pregnancies
- Piroxicam is widely available and has few side effects
A PlanB one-step contraceptive tablet.
Photographer: Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Emergency contraceptive pills like Plan B are more effective when taken together with a common anti-inflammatory drug called piroxicam, a new study finds.
Combining piroxicam, typically used to treat arthritis, with levonorgestrel prevented roughly 30% more pregnancies than the emergency contraceptive taken by itself, according to research from the University of Hong Kong. The study was published Wednesday in The Lancet.