Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: The INFO Project

"Pearl" for the week of February 27, 2007

New Family Planning Handbook

We really value Essentials of Contraceptive Technology in our program, but I heard there will be a new family planning clinical handbook to take its place. Is that true?

Yes. The new and markedly improved handbook, Family Planning: A Global Handbook for Providers, reflects an unprecedented global collaborative effort. Partners include WHO, USAID and the INFO Project at Johns Hopkins along with numerous others — including FHI, JHPIEGO, EngenderHealth, Population Council, IRH, MSH, IPPF, IntraHealth, FIGO, UNFPA and ACOG. The book incorporates all the current WHO guidance on contraceptive methods as well as new guidance developed especially for the book—"evidence-based guidance developed through global collaboration." It is due for release in May, 2007.


Many organizations are backing the book, are adopting it as their own, and will be helping with dissemination. Organizations interested in lending their support can contact Jeff Bernson at the INFO Project (jbernson@jhuccp.org)—within the next 2 weeks to receive acknowledgement in the book. INFO is particularly looking for help with printing, translation, and local distribution of this valuable resource.


You can find more information and an order form at http://www.infoforhealth.org/pubs/globalhandbook/, or write orders@jhuccp.org. For a few more weeks books can still be ordered in bulk at a discounted prepublication rate.

The "Pearls" offer answers to commonly asked questions about family planning. These "Pearls" are prepared by Dr. James D. Shelton, Senior Medical Scientist, Office of Population, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)