Emergency Contraceptive Pill should be sold ‘over the counter’

[uniquare]

ALMOST HALF of women obtaining the morning-after pill are doing so outside the optimal 24-hour timeframe for its use, according to new research from the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA).

<snip>

The IFPA said there was no medical reason why it should not be available over the counter in pharmacies in Ireland.

Report cites delay in getting morning after pill - The Irish Times - Wed, Oct 14, 2009

UNNECESSARY delays in accessing the emergency contraceptive pill (ECP) are resulting in an increased risk of unplanned pregnancy, the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) has warned.

In its annual report, released, the IFPA reiterated its stance that the pill should be available over-the-counter in pharmacies.

Emergency pill should be sold ?over the counter? | Irish Examiner

[davidcameron]

A Kerry woman had to travel to Cork to get the pill after she was refused it on "religious grounds":
Woman denied pill on ?religious? basis | Irish Examiner

Why has the Government not brought in legislation to allow for over-the-counter provision of the contraceptive pill? Surely, Mary Harney doesn't think she'll get a belt of the crozier for doing so, does she?

[Cato]

A Kerry woman had to travel to Cork to get the pill after she was refused it on "religious grounds":
Woman denied pill on ?religious? basis | Irish Examiner

Ridiculous. Pharmacies should be free to provide the pill and should not be allowed to refuse to do so on religious grounds.

Why has the Government not brought in legislation to allow for over-the-counter provision of the contraceptive pill? Surely, Mary Harney doesn't think she'll get a belt of the crozier for doing so, does she?

There is still a conservative streak in the Irish government.

[wombat]

Absolute lunacy, its a serious drug not to be handed out like Smarties, pc prejudices, endanger peoples lives - medicines need to be prescribed by doctors, not internet nuts.

[boo-boo]

It would be very interesting to see how the Irish Medical Council would deal with this case if that woman lodged a complaint against the doctor - thats presuming they'd consider there'd be a prima facie case to hold an investigation in the first place!

AFAIK pharmacies dispense the after morning pill in the UK. No doubt the Pharmacy union would be looking for their cut!

[drkpower]

There seems to be very little detail behind her being supposedly refused on religious grounds. If there was no genuine reason for her being refused (and there are few), she should report the doctor to the Medical Council.

As for the MAP being OTC, it is long overdue. While there are some disavantages to it being available relatively freely, the advantages massively outweigh the risks.

[Cato]

Absolute lunacy, its a serious drug not to be handed out like Smarties, pc prejudices, endanger peoples lives - medicines need to be prescribed by doctors, not internet nuts.

Pharmacists know a hell of a lot more than doctors about medicines. In many other countries it is sold over the counter in pharmacies. Why not here?

(Also, no one has said that internet nuts should dole it out, so lay off the hysteria.)

[Cato]

There seems to be very little detail behind her being supposedly refused on religious grounds. If there was no genuine reason for her being refused (and there are few), she should report the doctor to the Medical Council.

As for the MAP being OTC, it is long overdue. While there are some disavantages to it being available relatively freely, the advantages massively outweigh the risks.

Would she have a case against the doctor?

[ivnryn]

Absolute lunacy, its a serious drug not to be handed out like Smarties, pc prejudices, endanger peoples lives - medicines need to be prescribed by doctors, not internet nuts.

Sounds like the situation is that the woman drives for an hour and finds a doctor she had never seen before in order to obtain the prescription.

I don't see how that really provides any additional protection for her health. It's not like that doctor could know if she was using it "like smarties" as you put it.

Do doctors actually perform some kind of test before writing the prescription?

[Baron von Biffo]

Absolute lunacy, its a serious drug not to be handed out like Smarties, pc prejudices, endanger peoples lives - medicines need to be prescribed by doctors, not internet nuts.

There were 2 doctors speaking about this and other matters on Mooney on RTE1 recently. They said there's no medical impediment to allowing OTC sales of this product.