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Unaware of EC’s mechanism of action, Spanish Constitutional Court protects a pharmacist’s right to refuse to sell EC
In 2008, a pharmacy in Seville, (in the southern Spain’s Andalusia region) was fined for refusing to sell emergency contraceptive pills (EC). The pharmacy challenged this, however, and the case was brought up to the Constitutional Court. In July 2015 this Court found that the pharmacist’s right to “ideological freedom” was violated by the sanction,…
Hormonal IUDs may be a viable method for emergency contraception
January, 2021. Scientists at University of Utah Health found that hormonal intra uterine devices (IUDs) were comparable to copper IUDs for use as emergency contraceptives. According to the researchers, the finding would support adding hormonal IUDs to current emergency contraception options. Read more here.

Germany: Court ruling on EC dispensing
June 2024. In Germany, the Berlin-Brandenburg Higher Administrative Court ruled that a pharmacist cannot refuse dispensing emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) because of his or her beliefs or “conscience”. The Berlin Pharmacist Chamber had initiated a process against a pharmacist who systematically refused to stock and dispense ECPs in his pharmacy because he believed ECPs could…
Objecting pharmacies in Spain: “If someone comes asking for EC pills, just say we don’t have any”
January 2022. A report published on newtral.es on December 2021 shows the challenges of working in “conscious objector pharmacies”. In these pharmacies the individual right to object dispensing EC pills on conscientious grounds, is extended to the entire team in the shop, despite being an individual right: https://www.newtral.es/farmacias-objetoras-de-conciencia-pildora-del-dia-despues/20211219/. Testimonies of individuals who, in Spanish pharmacies,…
Malta at 2021: “How are we still discussing accessibility to the morning-after pill?”
November 2021. In a valuable monitoring effort, a journalist from MaltaToday conducted again and for the 2nd year in a row, a survey to assess EC accessibility. Through a phone interview, pharmacies that will be on-call in the coming 6 weekends and holidays were asked if they sell emergency contraception (EC) pills, or not. According…
Update on UPA in European Union countries – May 2015
In January 2015 the European Commission issued an implementing decision, amending the marketing authorisation granted in 2009 for UPA ECPs. Sine then, the decision has started to be implemented. In most European Union countries the decision is being followed and UPA ECPs are available directly in the pharmacies or will be very soon. At the…