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Over-the-counter emergency contraception: a feasible option
C I Matheson1, B H Smith, G Flett
1Department of General Practice and Primary Care, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill Health Centre, UK.
Family Practice
|April 4, 1998
Summary
Over-the-counter emergency contraception, oral oestrogen-progestogen, could safely reduce unintended pregnancies in Britain. Guidelines support community pharmacist supervision for improved access and effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Pharmacology
- Public Health
Background:
- High rates of unintended pregnancies and terminations in Britain suggest underutilization of emergency contraception.
- Limited public knowledge regarding access to emergency contraception sources.
- Oral combined oestrogen-progestogen is a safe emergency contraceptive method, with proposals to make it available over-the-counter (OTC) in community pharmacies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish the safety and effectiveness of providing oral combined oestrogen-progestogen under community pharmacist supervision.
- To support the re-regulation of oral emergency contraception from prescription-only to pharmacy medicine.
Main Methods:
- Development of clinical guidelines by a multidisciplinary team including pharmacists, general practitioners, a pharmacologist, and a family planning consultant.
- Guidelines based on available scientific evidence regarding oral emergency contraception.
Main Results:
- Established guidelines for the provision of oral combined oestrogen-progestogen by community pharmacists.
- Demonstrated the feasibility of OTC availability under pharmacist supervision.
Conclusions:
- Over-the-counter availability of oral combined oestrogen-progestogen, supervised by community pharmacists, is a safe and effective strategy.
- This approach has the potential to significantly reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies in Britain.
- The developed guidelines support the implementation of this public health initiative.