Journalist Ellie Levenson has recently launched a very interesting piece of campaigning journalism regarding access to emergency contraception. The website is well worth a look as is the petition. I agree with Ellie that women should be able to have more control over things such as emergency contraception after all it is our bodies. I have a heard a few good debates on this topic so am intrigued what some of you think, so have a read and let me know.
“Basically, at the moment if a woman wants emergency contraception she must get it herself at the time of needing it. Although in 2006 the Royal Pharmaceutical Society issued a statement saying that it is not against the advanced supply of emergency contraception in principle, in many instances women are being refused advance provision by pharmacists.
This means that a woman can’t buy it in advance from pharmacies to keep in the bathroom cabinet in case a condom splits. Nor can someone else buy it for her unless they can convince the pharmacist that it is an exceptional situation such as a person being housebound. Being stuck at work or at home looking after children is not usually deemed a good enough reason. Mums cannot buy it for daughters. A woman’s partner cannot buy it for her. Nor can her friend.
Many people including some pharmacists argue that this is because emergency contraception should not be used other than in an emergency and that they need to ask certain questions of women before they can take it. This suggests women are incapable of self-diagnosing – something we actually do every time we take a painkiller which, taken wrongly, could also harm us.” Ellie Levenson
http://www.womenarenotstupid.co.uk/ - The Campaign Website
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/morningafterpill/ - The Petition
