A friendly reminder, on Human Rights Day:
December 2019
Spain: new data on EC use among youth
October 2019. According to the National Survey on Sexual Health and Contraception among Spanish Youth, promoted by the Spanish Society of Contraception (SEC), 29,7% of young women have ever used emergency contraception (EC) pills. These figures vary when broken down by ages: 14,4% of 16 to 18 years old have ever used EC; 19,9% of…
Spain: 10 years of prescription-free access to EC pills
October 2019. In Spain, LNG EC pills are sold without prescription since 2009, and UPA EC pills since early 2016. According to the news agency EFE, in this 10-year period, over 7 million units have been sold in the country. According to the General Council of Official Colleges of Pharmacists of Spain, pharmacists have a…
Malta: what to expect when buying EC?
September 2019. In Malta, a women’s on-line discussion forum called for more sensitivity and clear direction for those wanting to buy emergency contraception (EC) pills from pharmacies. A series of articles published in The Times of Malta picked up the story and opened a discussion about the terms in which women obtain EC pills at the pharmacy,…
First participatory survey on pharmacy access to EC in Europe.
Help us learn more about how real access to emergency contraception (EC) is in Europe! July / Sept 2019. The European Youth Network on Sexual and Reproductive Rights (YouAct) and ECEC, launch the first participatory survey on pharmacy access to EC in Europe. With this effort, we want to: Learn how EC products are placed and stocked in…
Turkey: new resource for EC information
July 2019. DKT Turkey recently launched an emergency contraception (EC) website to inform and educate about this method. The site http://ertesigunyaninda.org, written entirely in Turkish, uses easy-to-understand language to describe how and when to use three different EC methods (UPA and LNG EC pills, and the Cu-IUD). It also directs visitors to a list of longer-term, more sustainable…
How accessible is EC in Europe?
July 2019. Levonorgestel (LNG) and ulipristal acetate (UPA) emergency contraception (EC) pills are registered as prescription-free medical products in most European countries. Does this mean all women in Europe have the same access to EC? Anecdotal data suggests that we don’t: In the United Kingdom, pharmacists’ objection to dispensing EC, based on misinformation, myths or their…
Overweight, Obesity and Contraception: new clinical guideline by the FSRH
May 2019. The UK’s Faculty of Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) just published Overweight, Obesity and Contraception, a guideline that brings together evidence and expert opinion on the provision of contraception to women who are overweight and women with obesity. Recommendations are based on available evidence and the consensus opinion of experts and the guideline…
More on Europe and contraception in our Publications page
April 2019. We recently updated our Publications page to include resources from colleague organizations, focused on reproductive rights and access to contraception in Europe. This valuable references, which may be of use for your work promoting EC access in our region, can be found here: European Parliament Resolution: Experiencing backlash in women’s rights and gender…
New international guidance on EC pills
January 2019. The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and the International Consortium for Emergency Contraception (ICEC), launch the 4th edition of “Emergency Contraceptive Pills: Medical and Service Delivery Guidance”. The guidance is designed to serve as a key reference and training document for service provision. It includes a range of medical and service delivery…
In the UK: mandatory consultation with pharmacist to buy EC, put into question
January 2019 – In the United Kingdom, the charity British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) published Pharmacy provision of emergency contraception: A mystery shopper study. A consultation with the pharmacist prior to purchasing EC is still mandatory in the UK, as it is considered an important opportunity to give a woman information about all her contraception…
