Reviewed by Usama Ali, MPharm (GPhC: 2224726). Last reviewed: April 2026.
Cerelle and Cerazette are the same medicine in every way that matters. Both contain desogestrel 75 micrograms, both follow the same 12 hour late pill rule, and both work in the same way to prevent pregnancy.
The main differences are the manufacturer, the box, and a few inactive ingredients. If your pharmacy has switched you from one to the other, the contraceptive effect has not changed.
This guide explains why the switch happens, what is actually different between the two, and when it might matter.
It usually comes down to cost and stock. Under the NHS Pharmacy Contraception Service, pharmacies are expected to use their professional judgement and, where possible, supply the best value product that still meets your clinical need.
Because Cerelle and Cerazette both contain the same active ingredient at the same strength, most pharmacies will supply whichever desogestrel 75 microgram product is the most cost effective at the time. Your local area's formulary rules can also influence which version is supplied.
"This is one of the most common questions we get," says Usama Ali, MPharm (GPhC: 2224726), pharmacist at Contraception Direct. "People see a different box and worry the pill has changed. It hasn't. The medicine inside is the same."
If there is a genuine clinical reason for you to receive a particular brand (for example, an allergy to a specific inactive ingredient), the service specification says this should be respected and your ongoing supply should stay consistent.
Yes, in every way that matters for contraception. Both products contain desogestrel 75 micrograms. Both are mini pills. Both are taken once a day with no break between packs. Both use the same 12 hour window before a pill counts as late. Both product information documents describe the same common side effects at the same frequencies: irregular bleeding, acne, mood changes, breast pain, nausea, and weight increase.
Switching from Cerazette to Cerelle does not mean you have moved to a weaker pill, a lower dose, or a different type of contraceptive.
For a full guide to Cerelle on its own, read our Cerelle guide.
The differences are in the inactive ingredients, not the medicine itself.
Cerelle uses potato starch in the tablet core. Cerazette uses maize starch. Cerelle contains 52.34 mg of lactose per tablet. Cerazette contains approximately 55 mg. The tablet coating ingredients also differ. None of these changes affect how the drug works or how your body absorbs it. You can compare the full ingredient lists in the Cerelle SPC and Cerazette SPC.
The box, blister layout, and tablet appearance can look different too. That often causes more concern than the switch itself, because a different looking box naturally makes you wonder if the pill has changed. In this case, it has not.
They should not. Because the active ingredient and dose are the same, there is no pharmacological reason to expect a meaningful change in side effects when switching between Cerelle and Cerazette.
That said, if you notice a real and persistent change after switching, it is reasonable to ask for a review. Your clinician or pharmacist can check whether there could be another explanation, whether the timing is coincidence, or whether an unusual sensitivity to a specific inactive ingredient needs to be considered.
You can raise it, but there is not usually a clinical reason to insist on Cerazette over Cerelle. If your prescription is written generically as desogestrel 75 micrograms (which is standard), your pharmacy can supply whichever equivalent brand or generic product they have available.
If there is a documented clinical reason for you to receive a specific brand, your clinician can prescribe by brand name and record the reason so that future supplies stay consistent.
Outside of a clinical reason, requesting the branded product specifically may not be possible through the NHS, as the service prioritises best value prescribing.
The current PCS POP PGD lists several desogestrel 75 microgram products. They are all the same medicine. The differences between them are the manufacturer, the packaging, and some inactive ingredients. The contraceptive effect is the same across all of them.
| Brand | Note |
|---|---|
| Cerazette | Original branded desogestrel product (Organon) |
| Cerelle | Generic desogestrel brand (Gedeon Richter) |
| Zelleta | Generic desogestrel brand |
| Desomono | PCS listed desogestrel product |
| Desorex | PCS listed desogestrel product |
| Lovima | PCS listed. Also available over the counter from pharmacies without a prescription |
| Unbranded desogestrel | Same active ingredient and strength, supplied without a brand name |
If you are prescribed desogestrel, you may receive any of these depending on what your pharmacy stocks and which offers the best value at the time. With Contraception Direct, your pharmacist will let you know which brand you are being sent.
Yes. All the brands above contain the same medicine: desogestrel. But there are other mini pills available through the PCS that are genuinely different drugs.
Slynd contains drospirenone 4 milligrams and has a 24 hour timing window. Norgeston contains levonorgestrel 30 micrograms and has a 3 hour timing window. Noriday contains norethisterone 350 micrograms, also with a 3 hour timing window. These are not the same as Cerelle or Cerazette.
If desogestrel is not the right fit for you, your clinician can discuss these alternatives during your phone consultation. For a full comparison of all mini pill types, read our guide on what is the mini pill, or see how the mini pill compares to the combined pill.
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