FDA approves contraceptive Beyaz

SILVER SPRING, Md. The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new oral contraceptive from Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals.

The FDA announced Friday the approval of Beyaz (estrogen and progestin) tablets. The pills also contain a folate known as levomefolate calcium. Low folate levels in the body are associated with such conditions as spina bifida, and physicians recommend that women of childbearing age supplement their diets with folate.

Beyaz is based on Bayer’s Yaz. Yaz is used to prevent pregnancy, treat symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder and treat acne in girls and women ages 14 years and older.