Boots to offer morning after pill without prescription - thoughts

Pembily

I think it's a good idea but am confused! From what I read before the makers had to request a licence change and they couldn't be bothered as they felt their profits wouldn't go up...

What pisses me off it the 30euro extra profit they are making!

I still think people will use it as contraception and each time you take it it's efficiency reduces...

Just a bit dubious!

Das Kitty

I've had to take it twice in the past. It's horrendous! Sick as a dog and crazy. I was going around like a loon for at least a week. Others I know who took it had similar experiences so and Joe Duffy esque hysteria is probably going to turn out to be just that.

I think it's brilliant that it's more freely available.

panda100

The_Minister wrote: »

And he would be right to have given you a lecture (or, from his perspective, much needed advice).

The morning-after pill prevents pregnancy, it doesn't prevent any of the numerous STDs out there. These can be mild irritants, or they can be life-threatening, and they should not be risked lightly.

I know you're a lot more sensible than this; one of the main fears with making this across the counter is that people will disregard other forms of contraception in favour of getting the MAP - a position which you seem to have admitted to.

It would not be unreasonable for a doctor to tell you this and it is unfair to characterise his attempts to inform you of safe sex practice in a negative way as a lecture'.

Women have been outnumbering men in med school for the last twenty years, so wouldn't it be more appropriate to use a 'she' here

I understand what your saying but I really don't need to pass over €50 to a doctor to tell me about std's etc.Its something that should be taught in schools and reinforced by better public health campaigns. I don't see why gp's must have a monopoly on sexual education and awareness in this country.

WindSock

So it's €45 with a consultation? How much is the MAP on prescription from the doc here?

When I was in NZ I took the MAP on consultation there, the chemist gave it to me after some questions and I had to consume it in front of him. Can't remember how much it cost then.
I was in NL before too and could get it over the counter no questions asked, it cost around €15

I can't imagine how many women took their chances here than have to pay the doc for a 2 second prescription.

Maple

panda100 wrote: »

Women have been outnumbering men in med school for the last twenty years, so wouldn't it be more appropriate to use a 'she' here

Please don't turn this thread into a gender war debate.

Thanks,

Maple.

Eve_Dublin

The morning-after pill is now available over the counter in Boots all over Ireland. This is fantastic news but a very long time coming. It was a joke that we were expected to get a prescription from the doctor first. I´ve no doubt a lot of underage or unwanted pregnancies happnened because women were too embarrassed to face their GP or have the money to fork out for a trip to the doctor PLUS the price of the pill.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0111/1224287234949.html

What do you think?

Maple

WindSock wrote: »

So it's €45 with a consultation? How much is the MAP on prescription from the doc here?

When I was in NZ I took the MAP on consultation there, the chemist gave it to me after some questions and I had to consume it in front of him. Can't remember how much it cost then.
I was in NL before too and could get it over the counter no questions asked, it cost around €15

I can't imagine how many women took their chances here than have to pay the doc for a 2 second prescription.

I had to get it last year and it cost me 77 all in.

45 seems ridiculously steep imo. Yes, it's not as expensive as a doctors visit but still overly expensive.

Shifty

Already a thread on it:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056143103

Maple

Eve_Dublin, there was already a thread on this topic so I've merged them.

Maple.

Thinspired

I don't have a problem with it costing E45 at all. After all it's designed for use as emergency contraception so by its very nature you should only be taking it once in a blue moon. And E45 once in a blue moon is a hell of a lot cheaper than a pregnancy!

As for the "people might use it as regular contraception" argument, well putting it bluntly, if you're stupid enough to shell out E45 every time you have sex because you couldn't be bothered to go on the pill/use a condom/say no then you deserve all the possible and mythical side effects that taking the MAP entails.

Of course given that it will be regulated I doubt you'll be able to walk into your local friendly Boots pharmacist every Sunday morning and say "Howaya, in for my usual Levonelle dose, got lucky again last night, sure ya know yourself like".:D

Fluorescence

Thinspired wrote: »

As for the "people might use it as regular contraception" argument, well putting it bluntly, if you're stupid enough to shell out E45 every time you have sex because you couldn't be bothered to go on the pill/use a condom/say no then you deserve all the possible and mythical side effects that taking the MAP entails.

I don't think that people are worries that it'll be used as a regular contraceptive (I know I'm not anyway), but are rather more concerned that people (particularly younger teens) might become blasé about using condoms if they think, "Ah yeah I can just get the MAP tomorrow instead," without considering the possibility of STDs etc.

LegacyUser

With regards to everyone thinking that teens will use this as a regular contraceptive it is only available to people over the age of 18 from boots, you must still go see your p or well woman clinic if under age.

Malari

fluorescence wrote: »

I don't think that people are worries that it'll be used as a regular contraceptive (I know I'm not anyway), but are rather more concerned that people (particularly younger teens) might become blasé about using condoms if they think, "Ah yeah I can just get the MAP tomorrow instead," without considering the possibility of STDs etc.

And presumably the consultation is also to avoid people having one "in stock" just in case, which would have added to the concern that women will use them as a contraceptive rather than an emergency.

Stheno

I got it in NI a couple of years ago OTC from boots.

It cost about £30 at the time.

Michellenman

What kind of ill effects are you supposed to get? I've taken in 2/3 times and have never had a bother afterwards..

Seren_

I really don't get the idea that women would start using the MAP as an alternative method of contraception. There's so many negative features to it which would just instantly rule out the thought of it being used as such - the price, the side effects etc. Would anyone seriously be naive enough to do that?

I think it's great that it's finally available OTC here now It was a bit ridiculous to expect people to pay exorbitant GP fees, and then there was even the risk that the doctor could refuse to give you a prescription due to their own beliefs.

The_Minister

Your Text Here wrote: »

I really don't get the idea that women would start using the MAP as an alternative method of contraception. There's so many negative features to it which would just instantly rule out the thought of it being used as such - the price, the side effects etc. Would anyone seriously be naive enough to do that?

I've yet to discover any true boundaries to human stupidity.

Add alcohol and sex into the mix and I think you'll find it'll pop up a good bit.

Lollipops23

I did an interview with the Irish Family Planning Association some years ago about the Morning After Pill-the student paper I was on was doing a survey on students and sex (we were just nosey tbh!!)
According to their rep a girl can take the MAP as many times as she wants in her lifetime without it causing a problem. The only problem might be poor judgement or psychological issues if she's using it a mental amount.

I for one have taken it twice, and while I was a bit nauseous and hormonal, I had no ill side effects.However, I very nearly missed the window of opportunity, as the "incident" happened on a Friday night. Had to wait until the Monday before I could even make an appointment. Crazy. If this makes it even a bit easier to get hold of the MAP then it's bloody marvelous.

cmaclo

Delighted this is now available, i'm sure every girl has had the hassle of getting this some time in their life... (and the wait til Monday morning is nerve wrecking and unnecessary)

Sure you'll get some idiots using it in place of contraception... buts thats their problem

lendmeyourear

whatsamsn wrote: »

Does that mean things are one step closer to getting the regular contraceptive pill without prescription?

should not think so....not everyone is suitable for taking the pill and medical history has to be taken into account. Good commercial decision by Boots, certainly not made with any moral thoughts involved. Horray for Boots, who rip us off daily with sterling exchange difference and give us no points on our pink card when we are in the UK or NI. (oh rip off is not exclusive to Boots, all the UK retailers do it to us).

southsiderosie

lendmeyourear wrote: »

should not think so....not everyone is suitable for taking the pill and medical history has to be taken into account. Good commercial decision by Boots, certainly not made with any moral thoughts involved. Horray for Boots, who rip us off daily with sterling exchange difference and give us no points on our pink card when we are in the UK or NI. (oh rip off is not exclusive to Boots, all the UK retailers do it to us).

Boots exists to make money by offering people legal goods and services that they want, not to judge people for wanting them. If people think birth control is immoral then shouldn't use it, but that doesn't give them the right to prevent others from doing so.

Also, if you think that restrictions on the sale of the MEP were solely due to concerns about morality and not lost GP fees, there's a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you.

Nonoperational

The efficacy doesn't reduce each time you take it. That's not true at all I don't know where it came from. Not great to be taking it a few times a month but it's just an old wives tale that each time you take it it reduces it's efficacy the next time.

Stench Blossoms

So other than the sickness that comes afterwards what are the effects of taking it more often?

kraggy

2 questions:

1. How much was the MAP before this?

2. Can a pharmacy decide that something can all of a sudden be OTC? I thought that would be the Medical Council's decision, no?

LittleBook

Your Text Here wrote: »

I really don't get the idea that women would start using the MAP as an alternative method of contraception. There's so many negative features to it which would just instantly rule out the thought of it being used as such - the price, the side effects etc. Would anyone seriously be naive enough to do that?

Sigh ... I remember this argument being used against abortion during the campaigning related to the 1992 referendum ... that we shouldn't allow abortion in Ireland because it could become a method of contraception.

Sure there may be people out there who might actually consider the MAP an acceptable method of contraception, but that doesn't mean that those of us who view it as an emergency/occasional method should be put through the mill to get it.

Maybe if contraception was free/freely available and sex education was improved, we wouldn't even have to argue that point.

tatabubbly

I think it's fantastic. I had to get it once myself, the shame of having to sit in the doctors office made me feel terrible! Also the price is a bit steep, and due to the fact that you have to discuss it with the pharmacist, if you got it more than twice, i'm sure the pharmacist would point you in the direction of long term contraceptions.


On the media, esp. the local media, there's a lot of older women claiming that it's only promiscuous girls that use this. Pity they think so little of the younger generation

Stench Blossoms

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

So other than the sickness that comes afterwards what are the effects of taking it more often?

Obviously I'm not much of an expert, but I seem to remember being told by a consultant that taking the morning after pill too often has the possibility of damaging your womb? That could be me misunderstanding.

Stheno

Deleted User wrote: »

Obviously I'm not much of an expert, but I seem to remember being told by a consultant that taking the morning after pill too often has the possibility of damaging your womb? That could be me misunderstanding.

It's a concentrated dose of the pill. If taking the pill for years on end does no damage to the womb then how does a high dose one off version do so?

Wibbs

It could do. Toxicity is a weird one. IE a smoker can happily go through 20 or more fags a day with no real immediate and obvious effects. Take the nicotine from just two of the same fags and inject it all in one go and it's game over. Massive cardiac arrest and nerve damage and dead in under 3 minutes time. You could argue similar with the MAP. It so depends on the woman though. Just like the pill. IME it has a bloody huge variance in effect with individuals. You ladies are complicated buggers.

Nevyn

Deleted User wrote: »

Obviously I'm not much of an expert, but I seem to remember being told by a consultant that taking the morning after pill too often has the possibility of damaging your womb? That could be me misunderstanding.

It won't damage the womb, it can over load the endocrine system and the hormonal system.