The effect of donor age on the packing susceptibility of erythrocytes.

The study of 411 healthy persons indicates that erythrocyte susceptibility to centrifugal packing at 200 g increases with age, evidencing an age-related decrease in red cell deformability. Positive correlations between donor age and blood plasma fibrinogen concentration and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were confirmed. The impairment of red cell deformability may affect the circulatory efficiency in the aged.

[Platelet aggregation in migraine and other headaches]. / Agregacja plytek krwi w migrenie i innych bólach glowy.

In 43 patients with migraine, 20 with Horton's headaches, 13 with trigeminal neuralgia and 50 healthy subjects the circulating platelet aggregates were determined by the method of Wu and Hoak. Moreover, in 23 patients with migraine, 8 with Horton's headache and 21 healthy subjects spontaneous platelet aggregation was determined in platelet-rich plasma with a transmission aggregometer. It was found that the aggregation coefficient was much lower in patients with migraine and Horton's headache than in the control group. In the group with migraine the per cent of spontaneous aggregation in 8 patients differed significantly from the mean value which was similar to that in the control group or in the group with Horton's headache. In the light of these results the authors conclude that significant changes of platelet aggregation occur in migraine and Horton's headache.

The effect of price increases on contraceptive sales in Bangladesh.

In April 1990, the prices of five brands of contraceptives in the Bangladesh social marketing project were increased, by an average of 60%. The impact on condom sales was immediate and severe, with sales for the following 12 months dropping by 46% from the average during the preceding 12 months. The effect on oral contraceptive sales was less dramatic: average sales in the year following the increases dropped slightly despite a previously established pattern of rapidly rising sales. There appears no reasonable combination of events other than the price increase itself to explain most of the difference.

PIP: Given the continuing increases in sales of condoms and pills in the Bangladesh social marketing project, the US Agency for International Development, which funds the project, demanded in April 1990 that the prices of 5 contraceptive brands be increased. Prices were raised by an average of 60%. The volume of condom sales over the next 12 months dropped 46% from the average over the preceding 12 months. The average sales of oral contraceptives, however, declined only slightly albeit during a previously established pattern of rapidly rising sales. Declines in sales volume logically appear to be the direct result of product price increases. Sections discuss project background and the setting in Bangladesh. The authors conclude that when price increases are made on commodities in such social marketing programs, they must be imposed gradually and cautiously, in keeping with inflation, and with consideration of the actual buying power of intended beneficiaries. The different reactions to price changes of 2 different pill brands also prompted a note on the potential importance of market segmentation.

Social marketing of contraceptives in Bangladesh.

Since 1975 there has been a family planning program operating in Bangladesh which advertises and commercially distributes contraceptive products in both rural and urban areas throughout the country. The program, known as the Social Marketing Project (SMP) and managed by Population Services International (PSI), now serves almost 1 million acceptors per month at an annual cost per couple of less than US$6.50, including the cost of donated contraceptives. This paper looks at the evolution of the project and its growth through the years, and addresses some primary concerns of planners of social marketing programs.

PIP: Since 1975 there has been a family planning program operating in Bangladesh which advertises and commercially distributes contraceptive products in both rural and urban areas of the country. The program, known as the Social Marketing Project (SMP) and managed by Population Services International (PSI), now serves almost 1 million acceptors per month at an annual cost per couple of less than US$6.5, including the cost of donated contraceptives. This paper looks at the evolution of the project and its growth through the years. It is argued that the SMP operates well within the parameters accepted for publicly funded population efforts in Bangladesh and that it is the most cost-effective operation in terms of cost per couple-year of protection (CYP). The project's success to date is measured almost entirely by the sales of its brand of condom, Raja. The initial reluctance on the part of retailers to display Raja prominently, has steadily decreased. Marketing strategies and promotion are largely responsible for this increased acceptance. By saturating the media with messages on contraceptives, the awareness of the project's products and their attractiveness to consumers are enhanced. Also, the issue of family planning is thus kept alive in the minds of people. The issue of discrepancy between total condom distribution and the prevalence of condom use as reported in Contraceptive Prevalence Surveys (CPS) is raised and possible explanations offered; actual use may be underreported in the CPS as all respondents are wives. Sales of the project's locally branded and repackaged pills grew quickly at first, reached a plateau and then declined. With the introduction in 1980 of a low-dose brand and a radical change in the project's marketing strategy for orals, pill sales have grown. The project's experience suggests that face-to-face contact with potential ustential users has increased use and acceptance of the pill. The project's new strategy tries to enlist the cooperation of rural medical practitioners for face-to-face promotion and distribution of oral contraceptives.