Morning-after pill soon selling over the counter nationwide

By ANGELA GREGORY

Women all over New Zealand should be able to buy the morning-after pill over the counter by the end of July.

The Pharmaceutical Society says pharmacists around the country are lining up to become accredited to sell the emergency contraception.

The Ministry of Health last year decided to make the morning-after pill more easily available to prevent unintended pregnancies and bring down the rising abortion rate.

A law change enabled pharmacists who did extra training to become accredited to supply the medication without prescription.

The society's pharmacy practice manager, Euan Galloway, said more than 600 pharmacies had already enrolled for a series of training programmes which would begin nationwide over the next six weeks.

Ninety pharmacists in Auckland have already been authorised to sell the medication.

Their pharmacies will display stickers for the contraceptive, Levonelle, which prevents about 85 per cent of expected pregnancies.

The two-tablet dose must be taken as early as possible after sexual intercourse and within 72 hours.

It aims to stop ovaries from releasing eggs, prevent sperm from fertilising eggs or stop fertilised eggs from attaching to the womb lining.

The society's chief executive, Joan Baas, said the move would be a considerable cost saving for women.

About $30 or $40 would be charged for the pill and a 10-minute consultation by the pharmacist, she said.

Community pharmacies offered one of the most accessible forms of healthcare service as appointments were not needed and many stayed open late, she said.

Dr Baas said pharmacists around the country were lining up to become accredited, and the contraception should be available from pharmacies throughout New Zealand by the end of July.

It would still be available on prescription from a doctor, too.

Pharmacists might recommend some women see their doctor should sexually transmitted diseases be suspected, but that would be on a case-by-case basis.

Mr Galloway said the pharmacist was required to ask a series of questions to ensure the supply of the pill was appropriate. "He or she must also explain the action and use of the medicine ... so [the woman] can give an informed consent."

The president of the Royal NZ College of GPs, Helen Rodenburg, said it was good to free up the availability of the morning-after pill.

But she was concerned that women might then not pursue other sexual health services, such as arranging ongoing contraception.

nzherald.co.nz/health