Wider availability of morning after pill move welcome

Posted by Bronwen Maher on January 11, 2011 at 04:48 PM

Labour MEP Nessa Childers today welcomed the move by a major pharmacy chain to make the morning after pill widely available without prescription.

She said: "Pharmacy provision is essential to improving access to emergency contraception and must be available to all who need it. Given the high number of unplanned pregnancies in Ireland, this move is very welcome.

"We know that for every 100 couples who use a condom carefully and consistently, two women will get pregnant in a year. But with less careful and consistent use, up to 15 could get pregnant. For these couple, access to emergency contraception makes sense.
"However it is important that the morning after pill does not become a de-facto method of contraception. There are reasons for imposing certain restrictions as to access to the morning after pill.

"On a separate but related note it is vital that people have access to a full range of services and advice in relationship to sexual health and relationship matters and that this support is made as widely available as possible. Sexual health services in Ireland are patchy at best and need to be improved right across the board.

"This move brings Ireland more into line with the rest of Europe. It is available without prescription in eleven countries, including Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Holland and Sweden, Norway, the UK and Switzerland."

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