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Historic step in the USA: FDA updates language on LNG ECPs mechanism of action

December 2022. In the United States, the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) just approved to change the label of Plan B One-Step (a levonorgestrel 1,5 emergency contraception pill) and its generic versions, in order to remove language suggesting that it prevents implantation of a fertilized egg. Until now, and despite what scientific evidence and research has…

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EC101 at the International Conference of Family Planning

November 2022.  The International Conference on Family Planning, the world’s largest gathering on family planning and reproductive health, took place in Thailand on 14-17 November 2022. ECEC is proud to have participated in the organization of one segment of the Live Community Programming, that revised the basics of emergency contraception. The segment, called “Emergency contraception…

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War in Ukraine: European Parliament calls to ensure access to emergency contraception for women throughout conflict and displacement.

May 2022. On May 5th, the European Parliament adopted a resolution that strongly condemns the use of sexual and gender-based violence as a weapon of war. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) call on the EU and host and transit countries to guarantee access to sexual and reproductive health and rights services, particularly emergency contraception,…

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Over-the-counter provision of EC pills is feasible

March 2022.  A new systematic review of over-the-counter (OTC) provision of emergency contraception pills (ECPs), concludes that it is feasible and acceptable, and that it may increase access to and timely use of effective contraception. Evidence suggests that OTC provision of ECPs do not substantively change reproductive health outcomes. This review expands the evidence supporting…

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An update on access to EC in Europe: New publication by ECEC

February 2022. Since 2012, the European Consortium for Emergency Contraception (ECEC) monitors emergency contraception (EC) availability and accessibility in Europe, and maintains a country-by-country database to generate and disseminate knowledge. This open-access database is regularly updated thanks to the collaboration of partners and local experts to whom we want to express our deepest gratitude. ECEC…

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Access to emergency contraception through community pharmacies in Europe: Findings from a participatory survey

January 2021. The European Consortium for Emergency Contraception (ECEC) and the European Youth Network on Sexual and Reproductive Rights (YouAct), launched in 2019 a participatory survey in order to better understand how access to and availability of emergency contraception (EC) pills is through community pharmacies in our region. We are pleased to introduce the survey…

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EC for transgender and nonbinary patients

January 2021. The American Society for Emergency Contraception just published EC for Transgender and Nonbinary Patients. This fact sheet is a great resource for all healthcare providers offering care to patients of reproductive age. “Pregnancy is possible for any individual with a uterus and ovary(ies) who has receptive penis-in-vagina sex with partners who produce sperm,…

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Switzerland: a qualitative study of young women experiences obtaining EC in pharmacies 

November 2020. Last April, Unisanté published “Remise de la contraception d’urgence en pharmacie : une étude qualitative sur l’expérience des clientes”, the report of a qualitative research exploring the opinions and perceptions of young women who obtained EC in community pharmacies in Switzerland. Individual face-to-face interviews were conducted between April and August 2019 with 30 women…

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Romania: EC featured in YouTube channel Sexul VS Barza

  September 2020. The Romanian YouTube channel, SEXUL vs BARZA, run by reproductive justice and sex education advocate Adriana Radu, just released a new chapter focused on emergency contraception, which you can watch here: Such resources are key to educate the young (and the not so young) generations that are more prone to look for…

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Switzerland: new recommendations for EC providers (available in German and French)

September 2020. This past month of July, the Swiss Interdisciplinary Group of Experts on Emergency Contraception (IENK) updated its position paper, originally published in 2014, in order to reflect new recommendations and research findings (as of April 21st, 2020).  The paper is available in French  and German, and also directly from Santé Sexuelle Suisse (IENK‘s member)…

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“EC in the COVID-19 era: advance access is more important than ever”

May 2020. The American Society for Emergency Contraception (ASEC) publishes “EC in the COVID-19 era: advance access is more important than ever”. While EC access in the US and most European countries differ (UPA EC pills are still a prescription product in the US) ASEC overall recommendation is still valid in our context: know where…

Switching EC to non-prescription status and unwanted pregnancy

January 2020. The paper Switching emergency contraceptives to non-prescription status and unwanted pregnancy among adult and teenage women: A long-term European comparative study was published in the South Eastern European Journal of Public Health and is available as open access. This study’s assessed abortion/birth rates among adult and teenage women in Europe before and after the…