A new formulation of a drug to prevent excessive bleeding in women after they give birth could save thousands of lives in poorer countries, according to a study co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The drug, called carbetocin and made by Ferring Pharmaceuticals, could prove a useful alternative to oxytocin — currently recommended as the first-choice medicine for preventing excessive bleeding after childbirth.
Oxytocin needs to be transported and stored at between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius, making it tricky to use in many poor countries where infrastructure and power supply can be limited.