New Italian edition of EC guideline

The Italian edition of Emergency Contraception: A guideline for service provision in Europe is already available.  See Contraccezione di emergenza Una linea guida per la fornitura di servizi in Europa. This edition has been published in March 2015 with the endorsement of the Societa’ Italiana di Ginecologia e Ostetricia, Associazione Ostetrici Ginecologi Ospedalieri Italiani, Societa’…

UPA EC: status updates

The Ministry of Health in Luxembourg announced on March 17 that UPA EC is available in pharmacies without a prescription since February 1, 2015. Click here to read Ministry statement. We have also been informed that UPA EC pills will be available for direct purchase in pharmacies in the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain in the coming weeks…

Portugal: new EC practical guide for pharmacists

In February 2015, the Portuguese Society of Contraception launched a practical EC guide for pharmacists. After Portugal decided to follow the European Union Commission recommendation to make UPA EC accessible directly from pharmacies without prescription, UPA EC is expected to be available directly from pharmacists in the country in the next few months. The Portuguese…

EC pills to remain prescription-only in Hungary

Despite the fact that the European Commission recently ruled that ulipristal acetate (UPA) EC pills could be accessible directly from pharmacies without the need for a prescription, the Hungarian State Secretariat for Health has indicated that all EC pills will remain prescription-only. The Secretariat claims to base this decision out of patient safety concerns, and…

Petition to Polish Ministry of Health demands access to emergency contraception without prescription

The Polish organization Federation for Women and Family Planning, which works for women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, has published a petition demanding that the Polish Ministry of Health implement the European Commission recommendations that emergency contraception be sold over the counter. To read and sign the petition, please click here (in Polish and English)….

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European Commission decision grants 120 million women direct access to ellaOne®

HRA Pharma announced that the European Commission, in a historic ruling, has authorized the emergency contraceptive ellaOne® to be accessible directly from pharmacies without the need for a prescription from a doctor. This is the first ever decision of its type regarding any oral contraceptive product applicable to all EU member states, according to national…

International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers

December 17 marks the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers and is observed annually by sex workers, their advocates, friends, families, and allies. The day calls attention to hate crimes committed against sex workers worldwide as well as the need to remove the social stigma and discrimination that have contributed to violence against…

November 25: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

According to the World Health Organization, 25% of women in the European region experience physical and/or sexual violence by intimate partners at some point of their life, and 5% experience sexual violence from people who are not their partners. On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, we want to remind our…

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EMA recommends availability of ulipristal acetate emergency contraceptive pills, without prescription

On November 21st 2014, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended that the EC pill containing ulipristal acetate, be made available without the need for a prescription in all European Union countries. EMA recommendation should be implemented in a few months, once it has been endorsed by the European Commission. For further information, please read EM’As…

Emergency contraception, an important resource for adolescents

This year’s UNFPA State of World Population Report focuses on adolescents and youth inherent human rights. The Report mentions that emergency contraception (EC) is something that adolescents particularly need because they use relatively ineffective methods, do not use contraceptive at all, or are more susceptible to coerced sex. How ever, youth access to EC is…

ICEC shares new evidence on safety of EC pills in ongoing pregnancies

The International Consortium for Emergency Contraception shared an updated summary of studies on the theme of safety of EC pills in ongoing pregnancies. We hope you find it useful for your work. “Evidence continues to accrue confirming that emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) do not harm a developing fetus if they are mistakenly taken early in an…