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Emergency contraceptive availability by country: Difference between revisions

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===Malaysia===
===Malaysia===
Postinor was registered in 1987.
Postinor was registered in 1987.

===Thailand===
Postinor is readily available over-the-counter in pharmacies such as Boots.


==South America==
==South America==

Revision as of 17:21, 4 January 2007

The following is a list of countries that allow access to dedicated-purpose emergency contraceptive pills.

Europe

United Kingdom

Since 2005, the primary EC available in the UK has been Levonelle One Step--a single-dose progestin-only treatment.[1]

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.[2]

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. [3]

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.

Finland

The Yuzpe regimen was introduced under the name Neoprimavlar in 1987.

North America

United States

Since 1999, the progestin-only Plan B (two 750 µg levonorgestrel pills) has been available with a prescription.[4] Starting in late 2006, Plan B is available from pharmacies staffed by a licensed pharmacist for women 18 or older; a prescription-only form of Plan B will remain available for young women aged 17 and younger.[5][6]

Canada

Since 2005, Plan B has been available nationwide through nonprescription behind-the-counter pharmacy access after professional consultation with a pharmacist.[7]

Oceania

New Zealand

In 1996, PC4, a Yuzpe regimen, was approved for unrestricted over the counter access. The manufacturer (Schering) withdrew PC4 from the New Zealand market shortly thereafter.[8] [9]

Australia

Postinor-2 and Levonelle-2 (progestin-only EC) became available in 2002. In 2004, Postinor-2 became available without prescription.[10]

Asia

China

Anordrin, an estrogenic steroid of the 19-Norandrostane family, was the most frequently used EC in China in 1997.[11] 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.

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.

Sri Lanka

The Family Planning Association began offering the Yuzpe regimen in 1994.

Malaysia

Postinor was registered in 1987.

Thailand

Postinor is readily available over-the-counter in pharmacies such as Boots.

South America

Argentina

Progestin-only EC pills are available for free at all public hospitals in Buenos Aires.[1]

Chile

Postinor-2 (a progestin-only EC) became legal in Chile in 2002 after a Supreme Court battle.[12] [13] 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.[14] In 2006, access to EC was briefly allowed for all females 14 and over, but this was immediately blocked by a court decision. [15] Months later an Appeals Court upheld a lower court decision to allow the Ministry of Health to distribute EC to minors without parental consent.[16]

Africa

South Africa

A Yuzpe product called E-Gen-C became available in 1997.

Kenya

Postinor became available in 1997.

Zambia

Levonorgestrel-only EC called Lenor 72 was registered in 2002; in 2005 another levonorgestrel-only product called Pregnon was registered.

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ "Contraception: past, present and future". UK Family Planning Association. April, 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ Irish Government Contraception site, noting the availability of EC
  3. ^ "Emergency contraception: Steps being taken to improve access". Guttmacher Institute. Dec 2002. Retrieved 2006-11-11.
  4. ^ FDA (1999). "Plan B approval package". Retrieved 2006-12-10. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  5. ^ FDA (2006). "Plan B information page". Retrieved 2006-12-10. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  6. ^ Barr Pharmaceuticals (2006). "Barr Launches Plan B® OTC/Rx Dual-Label Product; Awarded 3 Years New Product Exclusivity". Retrieved 2006-12-12. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  7. ^ "Health Canada Approves Emergency Contraceptive Plan B as OTC Drug". Medical News Today. Apr 22, 2005. Retrieved 2006-09-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
  8. ^ Williams C (1996). "New Zealand Doctors resist emergency contraception". BMJ. 312 (7029): 463. PMID 8597671.
  9. ^ Elizabeth Westley (1998). "Emergency Contraception: A Global Overview". JAMWA. Retrieved 2006-11-17.
  10. ^ "Emergency Contraception". FPA health. July 30, 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-15.
  11. ^ Xiao B (1997). "Abortion and emergency contraception: the Chinese experience". Chin Med J. 110 (1): 36-42. PMID 9594319.
  12. ^ "Chile bans morning-after pill". BBC News. August 30, 2001. Retrieved 2006-11-17.
  13. ^ Eduardo Gallardo (September 26, 2006). "Morning-After Pill Causes Furor in Chile". Washington Post. Retrieved 2006-11-16.
  14. ^ "A difficult pill to swallow". Economist. Sept 14, 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ Daniela Estrada (Sept 13, 2006). "Court Stops Free Distribution of "Morning After Pill"". IPS. Retrieved 2006-11-17. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ "Chile Court Okays Morning-After Pill". The Santiago Times. Nov 13, 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-17.