Boots to offer morning after pill without prescription - thoughts

ORLY?

astrofool wrote: »

<snip>

If the doctors really wanted to help the patient, they could have widely available (same opening times as Boots for instance) and reduce the cost down to the same as Boots.

This is all about the money they are now going to be losing.

And really, with a medicine that has to be taken within certain time period, and isn't life threatening (so not suitable for A+E), they had to have seen this coming.

[Edit]I'm actually angry reading ORLY's responses<snip>[/edit]

I don't know who the they is you are talking about. Do you mean GPs in general. I'm not a GP and will not at anypoint be a GP. I've already said that the GP system has to be changed so that it becomes cheaper and easier to access. I have been very critical before about privatised medicine as can be seen if you look over previous posts of mine. I think it would be a good idea if the MAP and associated doctor's consultation was made free to all.

LegacyUser

Just back from a trip to Boots this morning following a condom mishap. Have to say I'm delighted to have had this service available to me. Basically when I went in they took me to a private room where they took some details, explained everything about the pill to me, how it works, the risks involved, what to expect. Then they let me take it there and then with a glass of water. It was all very discreet, very tactful. I was given the patient booklet and a letter that I can give to my doctor if I wish. I was made feel comfortable and all my questions were answered. I think I got better attention and information than if I had gone to my GP.

Kudos to whoever started this thread, I wouldn't have known to go there if I hadn't read it here last week. The whole thing cost €45 - ouch. But would have been longer and more expensive if I had gone to my doctor. I think its great that this means it will be available on Sundays too.

magneticimpulse

wow I didnt realise this was not already the case in Ireland. I mean people had to go to their GP's 1st to get the MAP? Wheres the "emergency" in that?

I had lived in the UK before and quite frequent went into the Boots to get it. I never went into a private room, they just asked if i was over 17 which I clearly was...said, you do know about contraception...sure do, just a condom mishap etc. And that was it.

I never thought anyone would have had to go to GP for that? Cant believe Ireland is only starting to have over the counter MAP. Brillant news and hopefully young people 17 and over will be more confident to get it and prevent having unwanted kids.

I mean the cost of going to GP and then cost of MAP...it aint cheap. At least now people just have to pay for MAP.

As for this Orly person...if you really are studying medicine, you would be fully aware, that if women get sick, the pill might not be as effective. So in my case, i had a tummy bug on 1 occassion and went to Boots for MAP as back up!! It was well worth the 45 euro to know that i would not have an unwanted child. Another time, my ex was using condoms we got free from our GP...and they were too big for him and kept slipping off (he was average size and all). Wasnt to do with him putting them on..in which case we decided to go for MAP just in case to be sure that month and later bought our own featherlite durex condoms (not 1 size fits all you know).

I dont need a doctor to give me a lecture on contraception, when I am already seeing a GP/health clinic already to get my monthly pill/condoms. I think people should be able to form their own judgement. If the pill has gone through clinical trails (which it has) and will not have any serious medical side effects, i cant see why its not handed out by a pharmacist (who has actually studied drugs and their effects and is just as well clued up on chemistry and drugs as a doctor...if not more up to date).

Censorsh!t

This is great news. Hopefully the price of it will eventually come down.
It's grand for me at the moment being in college and being able to use the medical facilities here makes it only €15.
But I guess it's a hell of a lot better than a hugely expensive trip to the GP.

WeeDoireChick

I think it's a wonderful facility having twice used it myself. £26 I paid yesterday for it in Belfast which whilst being quite expensive for one little pill (my boyfriend thought I was taking the p**s when I told him he was paying for it and how much it was) it's, in my opinion, well worth the cost for reassurance if you have an incident which is inevitable from time to time if you're sexually active!

pixie_dust

I think its great news too, it will also be available to women right through the weekend - which isn't the case with most GPs closed on Saturdays & Sundays.

stripysocks85

Is this service available in ALL Boots stores across Ireland then?

cnocbui

Fad wrote: »

That, and the fact that it isn't 100% effective (84% I think), so relying on it is just plain stupid!

True, but a safety net that occasionally fails is preferable to none at all where the negative outcome would be a 100% certainty.

ORLY? wrote: »

I'm going to disagree with nearly everyone so far. I've made a somewhat similar argument in some other thread here. Before I continue I'll first declare that I am a medical student, no doubt some will use this fact to rubbish the argument as protectionism but hey.

The MAP is sold over the counter in the following: UK, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Holland, Sweden, Portugal and Albania. Germany will probably be joining the list before long; http://www.thelocal.de/national/20091016-22613.html

It is also available over the counter in many countries outside Europe, Australia and Israel being just two.

The medical establishments of these countries don't seem to agree with you.

I personally would have a far higher regard for the practice and conduct of medicine in most of them than I do for it in Ireland.

Boots is to be applauded.

<SNIP>

Vinta81

Finally.

sam34

cnocbui wrote: »

True, but a safety net that occasionally fails is preferable to none at all where the negative outcome would be a 100% certainty.

since when is pregnancy after unprotected sex a "100% certainty"?

cnocbui

sam34 wrote: »

since when is pregnancy after unprotected sex a "100% certainty"?

Perhaps I didn't phrase or expound that very well. I had in mind mountaineers or trapeeze artists employing safety devices that while imperfect, are considerably better than having none at all. So my 100% was with those sorts of activities in mind.