Emergency contraceptive availability by country
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following is a list of countries that allow access to dedicated-purpose emergency contraceptive pills.
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[edit] Europe
[edit] Finland
The Yuzpe regimen was introduced under the name Neoprimavlar in 1987.
In 2002 levonorgestrel-only EC (NorLevo 750 µg) became available over-the-counter in pharmacies. Only restrictions are that it cannot be administered to under 15 year-olds and only single package can be purchased at a time.[1]
Recently NorLevo 750 µg as a two-dose package has stepped aside from the NorLevo 1,5 mg single-dose package.
[edit] France
NorLevo, a two-dose progestin-only treatment, was approved in 1999, with nonprescription, pharmacy access. (France does not have an over-the-counter status equivalent.) In December 2000, public and parochial high school nurses were authorized to dispense EC. [2]
[edit] Italy
In Italy EC is available in pharmacies and hospitals, but it requires medical prescription.
[edit] Ireland
In Ireland it is available without restriction, but is not available over-the counter and requires a visit to a doctor or family-planning clinic.[3]
[edit] Netherlands
Since January 2005, levonorgestrel-only EC (NorLevo 1.5 mg) has been available over-the-counter without a prescription in pharmacies and drug stores.
[edit] Norway
NorLevo is available over-the-counter.
[edit] Romania
In Romania EC is available only in pharmacies and it legally requires a medical prescription,[4] but it is relatively easy to buy it without such a document.
[edit] Russia
In Russia EC formally requires prescription, but de-facto is sold in pharmacies over-the-counter.
[edit] Bulgaria
In Bulgaria levonorgestrel-only EC (Escapelle) is available over-the counter without a prescription in pharmacies.
[edit] Slovakia
In Slovakia lenorvogestel-only EC (Escapelle) is available over-the-counter without a prescription in pharmacies.
[edit] Spain
In Spain it is available without restriction, but is not available over-the counter and requires a visit to a doctor. Nevertheless, recently the Spanish Government approved a measure to make the pill available over the counter in pharmacies without prescription and with no age restrictions by August 2009.[5]
[edit] Sweden
In Sweden it is available over the counter without prescription under the names Norlevo and Postinor at Apoteket .[6] It is also provided at hospitals and clinics.[7]
[edit] United Kingdom
Since 2005, the primary EC available over the counter in pharmacies in the UK has been Levonelle One Step--a single-dose progestin-only treatment, available to over the counter to anyone over 16s [8] and available from health professionals to all ages.
[edit] North America
[edit] Canada
Since 2005, Plan B has been available nationwide through nonprescription behind-the-counter pharmacy access after professional consultation with a pharmacist.[9] Plan B will soon be available over-the-counter without requiring a consultation with a pharmacist. [10]
[edit] United States
Since 1999, the progestin-only Plan B (two 750 µg levonorgestrel pills) has been available with a prescription.[11]. It became available without prescription to women over 18 in 2006. As of April 2009, Plan B is available from pharmacies staffed by a licensed pharmacist to anyone 17 or older; it can also be prescribed to women 16 and under.[12]
[edit] South America
[edit] Argentina
Progestin-only EC pills are available for free at all public hospitals in Buenos Aires.[1]
[edit] Chile
Postinor-2 (a progestin-only EC) became legal in Chile in 2002 after a Supreme Court battle.[13] [14] Affluent Chileans were able to purchase it on demand from private health services, but poorer Chileans served by the national health service were only given EC if they were sexual assault victims.[15] In 2006, access to EC was briefly allowed for all females 14 and over, but this was immediately blocked by a court decision. [16] Months later an Appeals Court upheld a lower court decision to allow the Ministry of Health to distribute EC to minors without parental consent.[17]. In April, 2008, Chile's Constitutional Court ruled free distribution of EC illegal. Constitutional Court rulings cannot be appealed.
[edit] Ecuador
On May 23 2005, and after a couple of years available in the market, the Constitutional Court of Ecuador suspended the inscription and the sanitary permission of Postinor-2 that led it to be provided in drug stores and hospitals. [18]
[edit] Africa
[edit] Kenya
Postinor became available in 1997. It is currently supplied by Datmas Kenya Limited,[www.datmas.com], & Target-reach solutions company limited.[www.target-reach.com]
[edit] Morocco
The emergency contraception is legal in Morocco since 2008 thanks to the new secretary of health, Yasmina Baddou.
[edit] South Africa
A Yuzpe product called E-Gen-C became available in 1997.
A single tablet levonorgestrel EC product, called Escapelle became available in March 2008.[19]
[edit] Zambia
Levonorgestrel-only EC called Lenor 72 was registered in 2002; in 2005 another levonorgestrel-only product called Pregnon was registered.
[edit] Egypt
Levonorgestrel-only EC is available over-the counter. One trade name is Contraplan-II.
[edit] Asia
[edit] China
Anordrin, an estrogenic steroid of the 19-Norandrostane family, was the most frequently used EC in China in 1997.[20] Levonorgestrel EC in China is known as Yu-Ting and An Ting. In 2002, China became the first country in which mifepristone was registered for use as EC.
[edit] India
The Indian Medical Association advises that high doses of combined oral contraceptive containing ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel (Yuzpe regimen) and copper releasing IUDs such as CuT 380A can be used as EC, but the Drug Controller of India has only approved (in 2001) levonorgestrel 0.75 mg. tablets for use as ECP. On August 31, 2005, nonprescription, over-the-counter access to levonorgestrel-only EC was approved.
[edit] Malaysia
Postinor was registered in 1987.
[edit] Sri Lanka
The Family Planning Association began offering the Yuzpe regimen in 1994.
[edit] Thailand
Postinor is readily available over-the-counter in pharmacies such as Boots.
[edit] Oceania
[edit] Australia
Postinor-2 and Levonelle-2 (progestin-only EC) became available in 2002. In 2004, Postinor-2 became available without prescription.[21]
[edit] New Zealand
Levonelle and Postinor-2 are available from pharmacies without prescription.
[edit] References
- ^ "News about the NorLevo becoming prescription-free". Finnish National Agency for Medicines. January 2002. http://www.nam.fi/ajankohtaista/uutiset/norlevo_lt.html. Retrieved on 2007-01-05.
- ^ "Emergency contraception: Steps being taken to improve access". Guttmacher Institute. December 2002. http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/tgr/05/5/gr050510.html. Retrieved on 2006-11-11.
- ^ Irish Government Contraception site, noting the availability of EC
- ^ "Contracepţia de urgenţă". www.femeia.ro. http://www.femeia.ro/relatii-si-sex/contraceptie/contraceptia-de-urgenta.html. Retrieved on 2007-06-08.
- ^ La píldora poscoital ya es libre. Y no es aborto
- ^ "Akut-p-piller" (in Swedish). sjukvardsradgivningen.se. 2006-10-25. http://www.sjukvardsradgivningen.se/artikel.asp?CategoryID=22721. Retrieved on 2009-02-10.
- ^ "Akut-p-piller" (in Swedish). Skåne Regional Council. 2006-06-12. http://www.skane.se/templates/Page.aspx?id=11281. Retrieved on 2009-02-10.
- ^ "Contraception: past, present and future". UK Family Planning Association. April 2006. http://www.fpa.org.uk/about/info/contraceptionpastpresentandfuture.htm. Retrieved on 2006-11-09.
- ^ "Health Canada Approves Emergency Contraceptive Plan B as OTC Drug". Medical News Today. Apr 22, 2005. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=23275. Retrieved on 2006-09-25.
- ^ "Morning-After Pill Soon Available On Drug Store Shelves". CityNews. May 16, 2008. http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_22787.aspx. Retrieved on 2008-05-21.
- ^ FDA (Jul 28, 1999). "Plan B approval package". http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/nda/99/21-045_PlanB.htm. Retrieved on 2006-12-10.
- ^ FDA (Apr 22, 2009). "Plan B information page". http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/planB/default.htm. Retrieved on 2009-05-15.
- ^ "Chile bans morning-after pill". BBC News. 2001-08-30. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1517185.stm. Retrieved on 2006-11-17.
- ^ Eduardo Gallardo (2006-09-26). "Morning-After Pill Causes Furor in Chile". Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/26/AR2006092600770.html. Retrieved on 2006-11-16.
- ^ "A difficult pill to swallow". Economist. September 14, 2006. http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=7925036. Retrieved on 2006-11-17.
- ^ Daniela Estrada (September 13, 2006). "Court Stops Free Distribution of "Morning After Pill"". IPS. http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=34712. Retrieved on 2006-11-17.
- ^ "Chile Court Okays Morning-After Pill". The Santiago Times. 2006-11-13. http://www.tcgnews.com/santiagotimes/index.php?nav=story&story_id=12159&topic_id=15. Retrieved on 2006-11-17.
- ^ "Constitutional Court suspends sale of 'morning-after pills'". El Comercio. May, 26 2006. http://www.elcomercio.com/solo_texto_search.asp?id_noticia=28306&anio=2006&mes=5&dia=26. Retrieved on 2007-05-01.
- ^ http://www.mymorningafter.co.za/home.asp
- ^ Xiao B (1997). "Abortion and emergency contraception: the Chinese experience". Chin Med J 110 (1): 36–42. PMID 9594319.
- ^ "Emergency Contraception". FPA health. 2006-07-30. http://www.fpahealth.org.au/sex-matters/factsheets/76.html. Retrieved on 2006-11-15.
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