Breaking news from Hungary: Government proposes removing prescription for emergency contraception
November 2026 – Hungary’s new Prime Minister, Péter Magyar, announced on November 12 a proposal to make emergency contraception (EC) pills available without a prescription, as part of a broader package of measures aimed at advancing women’s rights. Read more on Telex.
Removing barriers to EC is essential to ensuring timely and effective use. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends making EC pills available without a prescription.
Hungary remains the only European Union country where a medical prescription is an absolute requirement to obtain both ulipristal acetate (UPA) and levonorgestrel (LNG) EC pills. In Poland, EC pills are also classified as prescription-only medicines, but pharmacists participating in a pilot programme can prescribe UPA EC pills.
ECEC thanks the Hungarian NGO PATENT Association for sharing this exciting news.
