News

As evidenced by these pictures from Bulgaria, some European countries allow advertising of over-the-counter medical products. This particular ad is for EC and has been placed on the side of a shopping cart.

Following a long debate in Germany over whether LNG EC should have an over the counter status, the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices recommended recently that emergency contraception pills should be available without a prescription. It is now up to the Minister of Health to decide whether he will adopt the recommendation…

It was recently reported that the Spanish National Health Service (NHS) does not fund EC nor does it reimburse patients who purchase EC. Furthermore, EC availability is dependent on the regions within Spain, and it is not universally available throughout the country. This issue was raised by Grupo Parlamentario de Unión Progreso y Democracia (UPyD),…

In a new study published in The Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal, Italian researchers explore the empirical and theoretical reasons behind why doctors and pharmacists may refuse to provide women with EC. Although evidence suggests that refusal typically is based on grounds of conscious, the researchers argue that the category of conscientious objection is not…

The French High Authority on Health has issued a new fact sheet regarding the use of EC, based on the latest recommendations. This fact sheet is part of a series of publications on contraception being issued by the Authority. To read the full fact sheet in French, please click here.

The European label for the EC product Norlevo has been updated with two major changes. In keeping with current evidence, the new label now says that LNG EC works by interfering with ovulation, and the language about the possibility that LNG EC might prevent implantation of a fertilized egg has been removed. The second change…

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommended in draft guidance proposed in 2010 that doctors, nurses, and pharmacies should “ensure all young women are able to obtain free emergency hormonal contraception, including advance provision.”  The recommendation has been on the Health Secretary’s desk since the Spring but he has not yet given…

In an effort to identify the main reasons for EC requests, observed failure rates, and the type and incidence of adverse effects among EC users in Poland, a prospective single-center observational study was conducted among 4655 women living in Warsaw. Data was collected via a questionnaire completed by healthcare providers prescribing EC and focused on…

According to the WHO report Global and regional estimates of violence against women, 25% of women in the European Region experience physical and/or sexual violence by intimate partners at some point of their life, and 5% experience sexual violence from people who are not their partners. On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence…

The German Bundesrat, the legislative body that represents the sixteen Länder (federal states) at the federal level, recently voted in favor of a resolution to remove the prescription-only status of LNG emergency contraception (EC). The resolution now goes to the Bundestag, the constitutional and legislative body, for a vote next January. If approved, women would no…

In September 2013, the Spanish Society of Contraception (SEC) published the study ESTUDIO POBLACIONAL SOBRE USO Y OPINIÓN DE LA PÍLDORA POSTCOITAL 2013, which assesses women’s knowledge, opinions, and use of emergency contraception pills (ECPs) in Spain among 14 to 50 year olds. The study was conducted by SIGMA DOS and sponsored by Chiesi and…

In June 2013, the International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network (IPPF EN) launched The Barometer of Women’s Access to Modern Contraceptive Choice in 10 EU Countries. This report provides a policy and status overview of women’s access to modern contraceptive choices in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and…