As the first real contraceptive innovation in over 20 years and as a long acting method requiring clinical intervention for application and removal the implantable contraceptive Norplant has raised a wide range of issues that could offer valuable lessons about the problems to be addressed if other new contraceptive technologies are to enter the marketplace In April 1997 an Institute of Medicine workshop on implant contraceptives reviewed newly available data on Norplant s efficacy safety and use identified lessons to be learned about the method s development introduction use and market experience and explored approaches to developing and introducing new contraceptives based on those lessons This resulting book contains an examination of Norplant s efficacy and safety its user populations training for insertion and removal consumer perspectives quality of care informed decisionmaking and consumer involvement and new approaches to contraceptive development and introduction An appendix contains summaries of 17 workshop presentations