Project assistance completion report (PACR) : cooperative agreement no. 520-0357-A-00-3222-00

The project was implemented by Importadora Productos Farmaceuticos (IPROFASA). The project supported IPROFASA's social marketing program, donated condoms (repackaged as "Scudo") and oral contraceptives (repackaged as "Perla"), and provided TA through the centrally-funded SOMARC project. A phaseout of assistance to IPROFASA began in 1999 when all direct financial and technical assistance ended and USAID assistance was limited to the donation of condoms and oral contraceptives. IPROFASA is now responsible for all of its own contraceptive procurement. The key results achieved under the project are as follows: (1) introduction through social marketing techniques of seven brands of condoms, eight brands of oral contraceptives, two types of IUDs, a contraceptive injectable, and a vaginal tablet; (2) provision of approximately 490,000 couple-years-protection from all contraceptives distributed; (3) Scudo and Perla contraceptives achieved and have sustained the leading market share for, respectively, condoms and oral contraceptives in pharmacies and are being sold in over 1,500 retail outlets nationwide; (4) IPROFASA has achieved financial self-sufficiency; (5) IPROFASA has negotiated and begun to procure replacement stocks of condoms and oral contraceptives from private suppliers and has agreed to maintain the low price of Scudo and Perla (adjusted for inflation), thus assuring a continued commercial source of low-priced condoms and orals; (6) IPROFASA and Pan American Social Marketing Organization (PASMO) reached agreement in early 2003 to eliminate "push money" and collaborate on the joint placement of generic ads for condom sales.