WOMEN will be able to buy the contraceptive pill at the pharmacy under radical plans to boost access. Until now, it has only ever been available on prescription following a medical consultation. But now the UK drugs watchdog is now looking at making two forms of the pill available over the counter for the first […]
WOMEN will be able to buy the contraceptive pill at the pharmacy under radical plans to boost access.
Until now, it has only ever been available on prescription following a medical consultation.
But now the UK drugs watchdog is now looking at making two forms of the pill available over the counter for the first time ever.
It would see pharmacists handing out the family planning drugs to women without a doctor’s note for the first time ever.
Around 3.5 million women in the UK take some form of oral contraceptive.
Just over half take a combination of two hormones – oestrogen and progesterone—that work by fooling the body into thinking it’s pregnant and prevents the ovaries releasing eggs.
While the remainder take progesterone-only pills.
Research suggests a third of British women struggle to access contraception, with 45 per cent of pregnancies unplanned.
Now the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has launched a consultation to allow sales of the pill over the counter.
It affects two products containing desogestrel – a synthetic form of the female sex hormone progesterone – Lovima 75, and Hana 75 tablets.
Officials confirmed if approved, it would be the first time a medicine for oral contraception would be available from pharmacies without a prescription.
Dr Sarah Branch, Director of Vigilance and Risk Management of Medicines at the MHRA, said: “Every response received will help us gain a better picture of whether people think the contraceptive pill with desogestrel should be available over the counter.”
Dr Asha Kasliwal, President of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, last night welcomed the plans.
She said: “We fully supports the reclassification of progestogen-only pills to a pharmacy medicine, something we have recommended for many years.
“Progestogen-only contraceptive pills are safe, reliable, easy to use and are an incredibly popular contraceptive method.
“Availability over the counter in pharmacies will make it easier for women to access essential contraception to avoid unplanned pregnancies during and beyond Covid-19.
“The fragmented Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare system is notoriously difficult for women to navigate, and successive cuts to Public Health budgets have made it harder for women to get the contraception they need.
“Reclassification may also reduce unnecessary pressures on GPs, who will not need to see patients for repeat prescriptions.”
Switching products from prescription-only to make them available over the counter, once their safety and efficacy has been rigorously assessed and established, is a positive step.
Michelle Riddalls, CEO of PAGB
The consultation was triggered after Brit pharma company Maxwellia applied for the pill to be reclassified.
Its CEO Anna Maxwell, a registered pharmacist, said: “We welcome the public consultation on the reclassification of Lovima as a pharmacy medicine and recognise it as an important and positive step for both women and healthcare professionals.
“If approved, this will give women greater choice on how they access this form of contraception, by either buying it from their local pharmacy or making an appointment with their GP or sexual health clinic for a free prescription.
“We see widening access in this way as an important option for people to be able to make their own decisions about their healthcare.”
Michelle Riddalls, CEO of PAGB, the consumer healthcare association, said: “We fully support these reclassification applications.
“Switching products from prescription-only to make them available over the counter, once their safety and efficacy has been rigorously assessed and established, is a positive step.
“It enables people to self care where appropriate, minimising inconvenience for individuals and protecting NHS resources such as GP appointments for those who need them most.”
