By Mary Anne Kenny
maryanne.kenny@imt.ie
The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU) has joined voluntary activist organisation Choice Ireland in calling for pharmacists to be enabled to provide emergency contraception to patients without a doctor’s prescription.
Last week (Friday), Choice Ireland stated that the morning-after pill should be available over the counter (OTC), after a report emerged that a GP refused to prescribe it on religious and ethical grounds.
The Kerryman newspaper had reported that a young woman who attended the Tralee SouthDoc out-of-hours clinic on a Sunday was turned away and had to travel to Cork the next day to get a prescription.
Choice Ireland spokesperson Sinéad Ahern said it was incumbent on the HSE to ensure patients were “not placed in a position where the only doctor available is allowed an ‘opt-out’ of the treatment they require”.
The IPU said pharmacists had the skills and competencies to dispense hormonal contraceptives and provide appropriate advice and counselling to such patients.
Meath pharmacist Kathy Maher said many patients find it difficult to get a prescription at the weekend. “Pharmacists should be able to provide such a service and this could be done with appropriate advice, counselling and within agreed protocols.
“Pharmacists could also refer patients back to their GP, where appropriate, for a consultation on their contraceptive choices once the morning-after pill has been dispensed.”
A study in the British Medical Journal found that after UK patients were enabled to access emergency contraception from pharmacists, it did not lead to an increase in its use, the IPU added.
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