Post by Skinartia on Apr 21, 2005 8:27:37 GMT -5
Reaction to morning-after pill amendment divided
CTV.ca News Staff
Regulatory changes to allow the morning-after pill to be sold without a prescription across Canada are being met with both approval and opposition.
One Canadian pharmacist says making the drug levonorgestrel available -- sold under the brand name Plan B -- is an unnecessary risk.
"First of all, I really think that the government is playing politics with women's health," said Cristina Alarcon, appearing on CTV's Canada AM.
"We've been told that it is completely safe, that it's the same as the birth control pill, when in fact the progestin component in this pill, which is the only thing it's made up of, has been known to increase the risk of stroke and blood clots and cardiovascular disease," she said.
"It's not exactly the same as the birth control pill," she said, citing the higher dose of progestin in the morning-after pill.
More women need to be informed about the side effects, she said, calling the pill a "safety blanket."
But Janet Cooper of the Canadian Pharmacists Association dismissed criticism of the pill, saying there are several misconceptions that should be addressed.
"There's no evidence to show that it's going to be used a regular form of birth control," she said, appearing on Canada AM.
"It's not as effective, it costs more, it may make you stick to your stomach, and it has to be used every time a woman would have sex, so it is not as effective as other forms...It's a last chance to prevent a pregnancy for a woman."
Cooper also rebuffed claims that the pill was not safe.
When asked if there are any long-term effects women should know about, she said: "None whatsoever. That ingredient has been used in birth control pills for more than 30 years."
On Tuesday, the federal government approved regulatory changes to allow levonorgestrel to be dispensed from behind the counter in pharmacies.
Health Canada confirmed that the amendments were effective immediately.
Subsequently, the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities updated its national conditions for sale, allowing for pharmacies in all provinces and territories except for Prince Edward Island, to sell the drug behind the counter.
A short delay is expected before the provincial legislation is changed in Prince Edward Island, paving the way for pharmacies to be able to dispense the pill behind the counter.
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada applauded Health Canada's decision.
"It is estimated that 50 per cent of all pregnancies are unintended. Emergency contraception has the potential to significantly reduce the incidence of unintended pregnancy and the number of abortions performed," Dr. André Lalonde, executive vice president of the SOGC said in a statement Wednesday.
The decision is expected to be most beneficial for women who are unable to obtain the drug particularly on weekends, or who live in rural areas where pharmacies are more readily available than physicians.
Three provinces -- British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Quebec -- have already independently passed provincial legislation that allowed the contraceptive to be dispensed without a prescription.
Emergency contraception needs to be taken within a maximum of 72 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse.
If taken within the maximum amount of time, the drug blocks pregnancy by preventing fertilized embryos from attaching to the uterine wall.
It does not terminate an established pregnancy and is not believed to harm a fetus if taken by a woman who is already pregnant.
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I think this is a great idea. I agree that it should definitely not be used as a means of birth control (go to your doctor and get a prescription for birth control, you lazy-f**k-biatches). However, it is a pain to go to a clinic (and not all clinics will give morning-after pills as they have moral issues with it) and get these pills.
Kudos to making it over the counter!
CTV.ca News Staff
Regulatory changes to allow the morning-after pill to be sold without a prescription across Canada are being met with both approval and opposition.
One Canadian pharmacist says making the drug levonorgestrel available -- sold under the brand name Plan B -- is an unnecessary risk.
"First of all, I really think that the government is playing politics with women's health," said Cristina Alarcon, appearing on CTV's Canada AM.
"We've been told that it is completely safe, that it's the same as the birth control pill, when in fact the progestin component in this pill, which is the only thing it's made up of, has been known to increase the risk of stroke and blood clots and cardiovascular disease," she said.
"It's not exactly the same as the birth control pill," she said, citing the higher dose of progestin in the morning-after pill.
More women need to be informed about the side effects, she said, calling the pill a "safety blanket."
But Janet Cooper of the Canadian Pharmacists Association dismissed criticism of the pill, saying there are several misconceptions that should be addressed.
"There's no evidence to show that it's going to be used a regular form of birth control," she said, appearing on Canada AM.
"It's not as effective, it costs more, it may make you stick to your stomach, and it has to be used every time a woman would have sex, so it is not as effective as other forms...It's a last chance to prevent a pregnancy for a woman."
Cooper also rebuffed claims that the pill was not safe.
When asked if there are any long-term effects women should know about, she said: "None whatsoever. That ingredient has been used in birth control pills for more than 30 years."
On Tuesday, the federal government approved regulatory changes to allow levonorgestrel to be dispensed from behind the counter in pharmacies.
Health Canada confirmed that the amendments were effective immediately.
Subsequently, the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities updated its national conditions for sale, allowing for pharmacies in all provinces and territories except for Prince Edward Island, to sell the drug behind the counter.
A short delay is expected before the provincial legislation is changed in Prince Edward Island, paving the way for pharmacies to be able to dispense the pill behind the counter.
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada applauded Health Canada's decision.
"It is estimated that 50 per cent of all pregnancies are unintended. Emergency contraception has the potential to significantly reduce the incidence of unintended pregnancy and the number of abortions performed," Dr. André Lalonde, executive vice president of the SOGC said in a statement Wednesday.
The decision is expected to be most beneficial for women who are unable to obtain the drug particularly on weekends, or who live in rural areas where pharmacies are more readily available than physicians.
Three provinces -- British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Quebec -- have already independently passed provincial legislation that allowed the contraceptive to be dispensed without a prescription.
Emergency contraception needs to be taken within a maximum of 72 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse.
If taken within the maximum amount of time, the drug blocks pregnancy by preventing fertilized embryos from attaching to the uterine wall.
It does not terminate an established pregnancy and is not believed to harm a fetus if taken by a woman who is already pregnant.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think this is a great idea. I agree that it should definitely not be used as a means of birth control (go to your doctor and get a prescription for birth control, you lazy-f**k-biatches). However, it is a pain to go to a clinic (and not all clinics will give morning-after pills as they have moral issues with it) and get these pills.
Kudos to making it over the counter!
