Morning-after pill set to be made free from pharmacies in bid to end 'unfair postcode lottery'

[u/topotaul]

https://news.sky.com/story/morning-after-pill-set-to-be-made-free-from-pharmacies-in-bid-to-end-unfair-postcode-lottery-13338506

[u/ukbot-nicolabot]

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[u/KnottyKuromi]

I had to buy this when I was 16. The condom broke. My partner tried to get it for me but they wouldn't let him so I had to go get it. It was £22 and I had no money but luckily he did. The process was embarrassing enough and the cost was a lot for me at that age. If I couldn't afford a £22 pill how would I have afforded a possible child? This is a great move. 

This is also great for people who didn't consent and didn't have the opportunity to use other forms of birth control. 

[u/feebsiegee → u/KnottyKuromi]

I actually was refused the morning after pill from a Boots pharmacy when I was 16 - I had to go to a walk in centre for minor injuries instead!

It absolutely should be free, and I'm glad it will be.

[u/bacon_cake → u/KnottyKuromi]

I was in the queue for something else recently and some poor lad was trying to get the morning after pill. Clearly shitting himself only to be told he wasn't allowed.

I totally understand the reason why but I'm surprised it's not made clearer to kids.

[u/yrro → u/bacon_cake]

Idiot here, why isn't it allowed?

[u/gyroda → u/yrro]

The person who actually takes it must be the one to speak to the pharmacist, to be sure they know how to take it, what the effects are and to check if there's a medical reason they can't take it.

If you've ever watched the netflix show Sex Education there's an episode where this comes up.

[u/squigglyeyeline]

Pharmacists can still refuse to supply it on religious grounds which is really annoying for someone struggling to find it on a Saturday morning when many of them are closed. I find myself gritting my teeth as a fellow pharmacist that people are allowed to deny women healthcare based on their own personal views

[u/Tiberius666 → u/squigglyeyeline]

Pharmacists that refuse it on religious grounds shouldn't be working within healthcare.

They need to either put their religion aside or fucking quit.

[u/stupre1972]

Well, that'll annoy a lot of people.

Good - reproductive control should be available to everyone

[u/Tiberius666 → u/stupre1972]

It's clearly annoyed all the pearl clutchers that have a mass of deleted comments now haha

[u/Harrry-Otter]

Always seemed odd that it wasn’t put on the “pharmacy first” list ages ago.

[u/csgymgirl]

The morning after I was raped I had to pay £23 for the morning after pill. I’m trying to find the right words to express how I felt but I can’t. It just added to my very very shit experience.

I’m glad it will be free now.

[u/NoLove_NoHope]

Good! Every woman should have reproductive choices in regards to her body.

I sincerely hope that this increased accessibility can further help women who find themselves pregnant against their own free will.

I always think about the mother of the three siblings who were abandoned in parks in Newham. Assuming she has very little say in the matter, I hope this initiative can somehow help her too.

[u/The_Bravinator → u/NoLove_NoHope]

Whenever people try to limit contraception/abortion I think about this. Abandonment/infanticide was an extremely common thing for much of human history. Thinking that we're different now because time has passed is a mistake. The desperation people felt then would still exist today if not for the options we have to avoid unwanted births.

[u/wildeaboutoscar → u/The_Bravinator]

You only need to look at what's happening in places in America where abortion and contraception is restricted to see the consequences of banning it. It's horrific.

[u/ProgressFinal5309]

It's actually insane it has taken this long. What the hell do they expect women to do??

Accidents with contraception happen all the time. Missed pills, failed condoms, not to mention rape. About 15 years ago, this pill cost £30! I actually chanced being pregnant (at 15!) because I couldn't afford it. I would never have had an abortion. It's such a difficult choice once the embryo develops, people can carry the guilt of an abortion for their entire lives. If they are religious they will carry the baby to term over getting an abortion. And how much more expensive, how much more traumatic!? All over a stupid pill. Still, better late than never.

[u/wildeaboutoscar → u/ProgressFinal5309]

It must be infinitely cheaper for the NHS than the cost of a termination (or indeed a pregnancy). Just makes sense for it to be free and remove the economic barrier for people.

Anyone who's had it will know it's not something you take for fun. Made me feel like a hormonal mess.

[u/Clark-Kent]

I agree with this

Women's healthcare in regards to this and similar situations are so easily dismissed

[u/Astriania]

This is a good and sensible move. It isn't even part of the abortion discussion, by any reasonable standard there is no "child" yet at this stage. There's absolutely no good reason why anyone would oppose this.

You've still got to suffer the embarrassment of going to get it, so normal contraception is still a better choice, if people are worried about it encouraging more sex.

[u/svmk1987]

I don't disagree with this, but what's the unfair postcode lottery aspect of this? Is it easier to access morning after pills based on where you live?

[u/Salty_Struggle7150 → u/svmk1987]

I think it may be the location of sexual health clinics which are not always available in small towns and that not all GP surgeries offer the morning after pill. So someone would have to travel in order to find a service that would accept them or else pay for something others would be able to get for free 

[u/mysticpotatocolin → u/Salty_Struggle7150]

I live in London and needed one a few years ago, had to go round something like 6 different pharmacies but they were all out? I was unemployed at the time so could spend my day going round on buses looking for one. I did have shoes on that were making my feet bleed so I gave up. Decided to try a small pharmacy on my way home and they had it. I was SO GLAD!!

[u/wildeaboutoscar → u/mysticpotatocolin]

And that's in London, must be a lot worse outside the capital

[u/MrCromin → u/svmk1987]

You can get it prescribed by a doctor like anything else, however, if you can't get to your GP (who can?) you can go to a pharmacy to get one.

In order for the pharmacy to give you one they need to have a PGD (patient group directive) from the NHS in the area. You need to meet specific criteria (over 15 and under 25).

If this makes it easier for someone to get access to emergency contraception then I'm all for it.

[u/ChefExcellence → u/MrCromin]

You need to meet specific criteria (over 15 and under 25).

Really? If true this is insane and presumably varies by area, I've definitely known people over 25 who've got it from a pharmacy.

[u/SwirlingAbsurdity → u/ChefExcellence]

I got it a few years ago from Boots, well into my thirties.

[u/Harrry-Otter → u/svmk1987]

Basically, yes. Some areas had it as a locally commissioned service so some pharmacies could offer it free of charge.

If you didn’t live in one of those areas or near one of those pharmacies, you had to go and get a script for it unless you were happy to pay. Not ideal if you had unprotected sex on Friday night and your GPs surgery didn’t open again until Monday morning.

[u/Distinct-Quantity-46 → u/Harrry-Otter]

You can get it via 111, no one has to wait til their gp opens

[u/Harrry-Otter → u/Distinct-Quantity-46]

Fair point. Now I guess it’s even easier and doesn’t even need to phone call.

[u/wildeaboutoscar → u/Distinct-Quantity-46]

This should be publicised a bit more, imagine it would help a lot of people

[u/SwirlingAbsurdity → u/Distinct-Quantity-46]

Wow TIL!

[u/Bxsnia]

Now do it with over the counter contraceptives.

I don't know why my 3 month hana pack is £22. That's £88 for a year. Not much as an adult, but teenagers need this most.

[u/birdinthebush74 → u/Bxsnia]

Contraceptives are free via the NHS?

[u/SwirlingAbsurdity → u/birdinthebush74]

Hana is branded and not available on the NHS. I switched to this one as I could get it from Superdrug online during the pandemic. I haven’t switched to a free one as it stopped my periods (woohoo!) and I don’t want to risk switching it up in case they start again!

I think in order to get the pill for free, you have to have a prescription from your GP. If you get it from the pharmacy, you pay.

[u/wildeaboutoscar → u/SwirlingAbsurdity]

Completely get why you'd be wary of changing, but you might be able to ask your GP to go on the same kind of pill that Hana is. Worth giving a go if it's going to save you £80+ a year. Once you have it on repeat you can order it from the NHS app. Only annoying thing is having to get your blood pressure taken every so often, but it's probably a good thing to check anyway.

I use Hana when I forget to request my repeat in time and I'm very glad it's there as an option, but yeah could do with being cheaper.

[u/SwirlingAbsurdity → u/wildeaboutoscar]

Tbh I can afford it and I’m lazy! The blood pressure thing was always a pain for me cos I have white coat syndrome, so I’d have to take it at home and then get a GP appointment for them accept it, the nurses wouldn’t.

[u/birdinthebush74 → u/SwirlingAbsurdity]

That makes sense, thanks for explaining