European Contraception Policy Atlas 2020

November 2020. The European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights launched the 4th edition of the European Contraception Policy Atlas on November 12th. The map scores 46 countries throughout Europe on access to modern contraception. Some of this year’s findings are the following: • Access to modern, effective and affordable contraception remains a  challenge…

Using EC after missed oral contraceptive pills

November  2020. The European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health (ESC) organises the webinar “Dilemmas in contraception”, which will include a discussion on what to do when emergency contraception pills are needed because of missed oral contraception pills. The webinar will take place on November 18 at 16h00 Central European Time. Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xNT5kKbAQMSzet3u2rOHtA   …

Malta: Buying the “morning-after pill” on Sunday is an arduous task

November 2020. A journalist from MaltaToday, recently conducted a phone survey to find out if the pharmacies who will be on-call in the coming 6 weekend and holidays (November until December 8th, 2020) stock EC pills or not. On Sundays and public holidays, only 20 pharmacies across the country’s two islands are open. From the…

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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…

Italy: women under 18 no longer need a prescription to buy UPA EC

October 2020. On October 8th the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) reclassified ulipistral acetate (UPA) EC pill EllaOne to “non-prescription but non-over-the-counter medicinal product” (Resolution no. 998). To date, women under 18  needed a medical prescritpion, prior to purchasing UPA ECPs at the pharmacy. According to AIFA’s statment, this measure aims to further protect the physical and psychological health of adolescents, and…

Ireland: New App for EC counselling

October 2020. In Ireland, a web-based App for EC counselling has been developed by www.MyClinic365.com. The App is based on The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare guideline on EC and is available in English to everyone: MyClinic365 EC Prescribing App The MyClinic365.com team welcomes your feedback at info@myclinic365.com This App is a good complement to…

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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…

World Contraception Day 2020: EC and stigma

September 2020. The European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care highlights and provides open access to this paper from its latest issue: Qualitative findings about stigma as a barrier to contraception use: the case of Emergency Hormonal Contraception in Britain and implications for future contraceptive interventions Rachael Eastham, Christine Milligan & Mark Limmer. See…

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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)…

Australia: new consensus statement on the provision of EC

August 2020. In Australia, the Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health COVID-19 Coalition just published the consensus statement on the provision of emergency contraception, which includes recommendations for primary care, pharmacy and policy. Some of the recommendations are: For primary care: Women should be advised of all available emergency contraception (EC) methods at the point of contact. Interdisciplinary collaborations and…

UK: obtaining EC still isn’t as easy as it should be

July 2020. A mystery shopper study recently published in the BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health (PMID:32554399, Full text) explores the standard of care around accessing EC from community pharmacies in the United Kingdom. The study concludes that while availability of EC from pharmacies has improved access, the need to have a consultation with a pharmacist introduces…