First progesterone-only contraceptive pills to be available to
purchase from pharmacies
For the first time women will now be able to buy
progesterone-only oral contraceptive pills without prescription
in the UK, increasing choice for women in the ways in which they
can access contraception.
Progesterone-only contraceptive pills containing desogestrel will
soon be available to buy in pharmacies after a consultation with
a pharmacist, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory
Agency (MHRA) announced today. Desogestrel is safe for most women
to take and will still be available free of charge from a doctor,
from commissioned services and sexual health clinics.
Dr June Raine CBE, Chief Executive, Medicines and Healthcare
products Regulatory Agency, said:
This is good news for women and families. Pharmacists have the
expertise to advise women on whether desogestrel is an
appropriate and safe oral contraceptive pill for them to use
and to give women the information they need, to make informed
choices.
We have consulted a wide range of people to enable us to reach
the decision to make this contraceptive available for the first
time in the UK without prescription. We received many responses
to our consultation, the majority of which supported this
approach .
We will continue to listen to and engage with patients to
improve access to a wide range of medicinal products when it is
safe to do so.
Dr Edward Morris, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians
and Gynaecologists (RCOG) said:
We are delighted that all those who need the progestogen-only
oral contraceptive pill (POP) can now go into their local
pharmacy and access it without needing a prescription. The RCOG
has called for this for some time and it was a key
recommendation of the College’s Better for Women report. This
announcement is a huge win for women and girls who will no
longer face unnecessary barriers when accessing this type of
contraception.
Even before the pandemic, too many women and girls were
struggling to access basic women’s health services. The
consequences of this include an increase in the number of
unplanned pregnancies, which can result in poorer outcomes for
women and their babies. Enabling women and girls to access POP
more easily and conveniently will give them more control over
their reproductive health, which can only be a good thing.
The products reclassified, Lovima 75 microgram film-coated
tablets and Hana 75 microgram film-coated tablets, are both oral
contraceptives for continuous use to prevent pregnancy in those
of childbearing age.
The MHRA’s decision to reclassify these desogestrel products
follows a safety review by the Commission on Human Medicines
(CHM) and a public consultation.
As part of the decision-making process, we sought views from
patients, pharmacists, prescribers and a wide range of
stakeholders including the Royal College of Gynaecologists, Royal
Pharmaceutical Society, Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive
Healthcare, and British Pregnancy Advisory Service.
Robbie Turner, Royal Pharmaceutical Society Director of Pharmacy
said:
This is a positive step for women which will increase access to
the progestogen-only pill. Community pharmacies are
conveniently located and pharmacists can provide expert,
confidential advice on all aspects of contraception, helping
women to make an informed choice about their needs.
Notes to Editor
-
Lovima 75 microgram
film-coated tablets (Desogestrel): Public Consultation
-
Hana 75 microgram
film-coated tablets (Desogestrel): Public Consultation
-
The public consultation received 494 responses, with over 80%
being in favour of the reclassification. All the responses
received were carefully considered.
-
Medicines and
Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is
responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices
in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. All
our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements
to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.
-
MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and
Social Care.
-
The Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) advises ministers on
the safety, efficacy and quality of medicinal products.
