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The Debate About Over‐the‐Counter Emergency Contraceptive Pills
Author(s) -
Shi ChihWen,
Ganiats Theodore G.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of midwifery and women's health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.543
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1542-2011
pISSN - 1526-9523
DOI - 10.1016/j.jmwh.2004.11.010
Subject(s) - pill , emergency contraception , levonorgestrel , over the counter , medical prescription , medicine , context (archaeology) , family planning , alternative medicine , family medicine , gynecology , medical emergency , population , research methodology , pharmacology , history , environmental health , pathology , archaeology
Many prescription drugs have been converted to over‐the‐counter (OTC) status in recent years. Another drug that has been proposed for OTC status is a levonorgestrel‐only emergency contraceptive pill. The debate surrounding OTC access to emergency contraceptive pills echoes issues encountered in previous reclassification processes and raises new challenges. This article discusses the emergency contraceptive pill, the evolution of its access options, and the context and implications of changing its status from a prescription to an OTC medication.