The morning-after pill has just been licensed for sale to girls under the age of 16 and will be available in pharmacies across the UK. Great as this news is, we can’t help wondering what has taken so long. It makes zero sense to deny emergency contraception to the people who are often least equipped to deal with an unwanted pregnancy.
The particular drug that has been licensed is the new generation ellaOne which works up to five days after sex, instead of three days like the older Levonelle (though both drugs are more effective the earlier you take them). It’s been available in the UK since 2012, but was only given to people over the age of 16.
Now, the European Medicines Agency has ruled that the medication can legally be sold to younger girls.
The NHS already allows certain pharmacies to sell Levonelle to under-16s in a bid to reduce teenage pregnancy rates, which are higher in the UK than in most other European countries. However, ellaOne will be available from any pharmacy that decides to stock it.
Anyone wishing to purchase either morning-after pill must first answer several questions, intended to ensure she understands what pregnancy actually entails and the consequences of taking the medication. The recommended retail price of ellaOne is £34.95, but the drug will continue to be available for free with a doctor’s prescription.
While today’s licensing change is a big step in the right direction, there’s a lot more that can be done to help young women and girls avoid unwanted pregnancy.
‘The high cost, lack of access and embarrassment women face when buying emergency contraception deter many from trying to get it at all, and these obstacles can be even more difficult to negotiate for younger women,’ a British Pregnancy Advisory Service spokesperson told The Guardian.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.