Skip Navigation



Hum. Reprod. Advance Access published online on September 23, 2004
Human Reproduction, doi:10.1093/humrep/deh530
© 2004 by European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF ) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
19/12/2718    most recent
deh530v1
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Muth, S.
Right arrow Articles by Fleming, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Muth, S.
Right arrow Articles by Fleming, R.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Received April 16, 2004
Revised May 26, 2004
Accepted August 26, 2004

Opinion

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) often undergo protracted treatment with metformin and are disinclined to stop: indications for a change in licensing arrangements?

Sabine Muth 1, Jane Norman 1, Naveed Sattar 1, and Richard Fleming 1*

1 University Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, G31 2ER, UK

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: gqta13{at}udcf.gla.ac.uk.


  Abstract

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are increasingly being treated with metformin as an insulin sensitizing agent to reduce symptoms of hyperandrogenism and promote fertility. Indications such as hirsutism and cycle regulation require long term treatment. The drug is also being used through pregnancy. It is not licensed for any indication specific to PCOS, which means that much of this prescribing is taking place in an environment short of reliable information concerning safety. We describe the failure of recruitment to a study undertaken to explore the effects of metformin treatment discontinuation in women with PCOS, to provide both clinical and aetiological information. The study failed because the patients did not wish to stop treatment, and it illustrates the problems facing doctors working in this area. To achieve a safer prescribing environment, we recommend that action be taken by the manufacturer of metformin to work with regulatory agencies on a European base to extend prescribing indications for metformin to women with PCOS.

Keywords: license; metformin; polycystic ovary syndrome.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Diabetes Spectr.Home page
H. C. Zisser
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Pregnancy: Is Metformin the Magic Bullet?
Diabetes Spectr, April 1, 2007; 20(2): 85 - 89.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.