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OTC status for EC recommended in Germany

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…

Spanish National Health Service fails to fund EC

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),…

ECEC publishes article in WHO’s Entre Nous magazine

ECEC has published an article in WHO’s Entre Nous European Magazine for Sexual and Reproductive Health. In it, ECEC outlines the unequal EC access situation in Europe and advocates for the standardization of EC guidelines across the continent to help reduce these inequalities. Ultimately, ECEC recommends that every woman seeking EC be informed of the…

Barriers to accessing EC in Italy

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…

New EC labeling in Europe

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…

UK Health Secretary blocks bid to give girls ECPs in advance

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommended in draft guidance proposed in 2010 that doctors, nurses, and pharmacies should “ensure all young women are able to obtain free emergency hormonal contraception, including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…

Study on EC use in Poland

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…

Croatia

Emergency contraception (EC) is available in Croatia: LNG EC and UPA EC are distributed by local pharmacies, but EC is not reimbursed or covered by social security. Sexual & reproductive health background information Accessibility & prescription status Cost Guidelines & common practices EC use Sexual & reproductive health background information Accessibility & prescription status In…

November 25: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

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…

Debate over LNG EC status continues in Germany

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…

Ireland

Emergency contraception (EC) is available in Ireland: EC is included in Ireland’s drug reimbursement policies and is available for purchase from pharmacies, hospitals, and family planning clinics. In December 2017 the national health authorities announced that EC pills can be provided free of charge at the pharmacies, without presenting a General Doctor’s prescription, in order…