Total number of unsubsidized brands available on the market for each family planning product Total number of unsubsidized brands available on the market for each family planning product Definition: The number of unsubsidized brands and brand extensions of each family planning (FP) product on the market during a given period (e.g., the past year). This measure should include commercial brands that are sold for profit as well as any brands sold by non-governmental organizations at full cost recovery. Data Requirement(s): The data can be disaggregated by FP product and brand or brand extension. Data Source(s): Retail audit/survey; key informants; neutral player that has the experience and reach across the private sector; donor sources (for the public sector) Purpose: Because a total market approach (TMA) seeks to transform the market into a self-sustaining entity, indicators of market sustainability are important for any TMA analysis. The level of subsidization of FP products is important to gauge sustainability. The market share of unsubsidized (commercial) brands and the level of use of unsubsidized brands provides information on the subsidy level for specific products and services. To understand the level of subsidization of FP products (e.g., oral contraceptives, condoms), household surveys such as the DHS can be used to calculate the percentage of users who report using an unsubsidized brand. Such surveys also allow calculation of the percentage of users who use fully subsidized contraceptives, which are typically unbranded, as well as the percentage of users who use a partially subsidized (socially marketed) brand. For users of FP services, such as IUD insertion, household surveys often ask about the type of source where the service was performed. This information can be used to calculate the percentage of service users (e.g. IUD users), who reported using a public sector and non-public sector source. Issue(s): Data on the source of where an FP service was performed does not permit distinguishing between commercial FP services and socially-marketed services. Keywords: health system strengthening (HSS) References: Meekers, D., Haynes, S. C., & Kampa, K. (2016). Handbook for research on the family planning market, volume 2: Tool and resources for an in-depth analysis of the family planning market. Chapel Hill, NC, USA: MEASURE Evaluation, University of North Carolina. Retrieved from https://www.measureevaluation.org/resources/publications/tr-16-131b Filed under: Family Planning, FP, FP/RH, health system strengthening, Indicators, Reproductive Health, RH