on June 25, 1943, and marketed by Schering under the brand name Estinyl. The FDA withdrew approval of Estinyl effective June 4, 2004 at the request of Schering, which had discontinued marketing it. EE was never introduced for use by intramuscular injection. EE was first used in COCs, as an alternative to mestranol, in 1964, and shortly thereafter superseded mestranol in COCs. Early COCs contained 40 to 100 μg/day EE and 50 to 150 μg/day mestranol. Society and culture Generic names Ethinylestradiol is the English generic name of the drug and its , , , and . It has also been spelled as ethynylestradiol, ethynyloestradiol, and ethinyloestradiol (all having the same pronunciation), and the latter was formerly its but was eventually changed. In addition, a space is often included in the name of EE such that it is written as ethinyl estradiol (as well as variations thereof), and this is its name. The generic name of EE in French and its are éthinylestradiol, in Spanish is etinilestradiol, in Italian and its are etinilestradiolo, and in Latin is ethinylestradiolum. The name of the drug is often abbreviated as EE or as EE2 in the medical literature. Brand names EE has been marketed as a standalone oral drug under the brand names Esteed, Estinyl, Feminone, Lynoral, Menolyn, Novestrol, Palonyl, Spanestrin, and Ylestrol among others, although most or all of these formulations are now discontinued. It is marketed under a very large number of brand names throughout the world in combination with progestins for use as an oral contraceptive. In addition, EE is marketed in the in combination with norelgestromin under the brand names Ortho Evra and Xulane as a contraceptive patch, in combination with etonogestrel under the brand name NuvaRing as a contraceptive vaginal ring, and in combination with norethisterone acetate under the brand name FemHRT in oral hormone replacement therapy for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. Availability EE is marketed widely throughout the world. It is marketed exclusively or almost exclusively in combination with progestins. References Further reading CYP1A2 inhibitors Ethynyl compounds Antigonadotropins Estranes GPER agonists Hepatotoxins Hormonal antineoplastic drugs Hormonal contraception Human drug metabolites Prolactin releasers Phenols Synthetic estrogens