‘Morning-after’ pill sales double at chemists: govt survey |
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Sat, 29 Oct 2005 19:05
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LONDON: More women were buying contraceptives directly over-the-counter rather than asking their GP for a prescription, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The proportion of women buying the ‘morning-after’ pill which was 27 percent in 2003-04 has nearly doubled – to 50 percent - in 2004-05. However, there has also been a drop in the number of women who get the pills from their GP or a practice nurse. Last year this proportion was 41 percent and in 2004-05 it has declined to 33 percent.
Likewise, there were fewer women who obtained the pill from a walk-in centre or a minor injuries unit, the proportion dropping from 11 percent to 3 percent. There was however no change in the proportion of women going to family clinics – 21 percent.
The figures suggest the pattern remains largely the same.
The growth in the number is only to be expected, a GP said. The government has allowed emergency contraceptives to be made available over-the-counter (without a prescription) from chemists since January 2001.
Explaining the rise in the number of women buying contraceptives OTC, the Department of Health said condom failure was the most common cause. More than two out of five women (46 percent) said condom failure was the reason for buying the ‘morning-after’ pill. The ‘emergency hormonal contraceptive’ (EHC) pill is effective within 72 hours of unprotected sex.
There number of women between 16 and 49 who used the pill more than once in the previous year remained unchanged at 7 percent.
The numbers obtained in an NSA survey are likely to spur moralists into pushing their views. Anti-abortion charity Life’s chief executive Martin Foley blamed the easy availability of contraceptives and the government’s widespread publicity for the rise in the number of women buying contraceptives. People were unknowingly being encouraged “to engage in risky sexual behaviour” he said.
He advocated “faithfulness within sexual relationships” as the only way Britain could address its sexual health problems.
Another organisation – the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, expressed concern over the figures. A spokesperson warned that EHCs are also known to cause early abortions.
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