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WASHINGTON - Implanon, a rod-shaped contraceptive implanted in the upper arm for up to three years, received federal approval, health officials said Tuesday.

Food and Drug Administration approval clears Organon USA to sell the birth-control rod in the United States, FDA spokeswoman Susan Cruzan said.

Implanon, which can stop menstruation in many women, has been sold in more than 30 countries since 1998.

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what we said (Hover the mouse cursor over underlined words for more info)

This story does a poor job of Canadianizing the informatino from a US press release. It doesn't mention whether Implanon is approved or available in Canada. The study design and evaluation of benefits or harm is not mentioned and the reader is left with little idea about how many women had been studied with this contraceptive treatment. The comparative benefits in terms of pregnancy rates to other contraceptive methods have not been mentioned. Harms, while mentioned, have not been quantified. The use of only progestin without estrogen and the type of progestin used needs to be discussed.

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