Free morning after pill for all women, “a great step forward”, according to a gynecologist who denounces the current “brakes”

“It’s a great step forward for all women”, rejoices Julia Maruani, gynecologist and secretary general of the National Federation of Colleges of Medical Gynecology (FNCGM), invited Wednesday, September 22 on franceinfo. She reacts to the free morning after pill for all women, without a prescription and without age, announced by the Minister of Health, François Braun, on Tuesday. According to Julia Maruani, this will make it possible to avoid the two current brakes which are “the cost”, up to 23 euros per emergency pill, and making an appointment with the doctor which can generate waiting times. that emergency contraception “must be taken as soon as possible after intercourse to increase its effectiveness”.

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franceinfo: Is this announcement going in the right direction?

Julia Maruani: Of course, facilitating access to emergency contraception for all women, whatever their age, is a step forward. The device already exists for minors, with anonymity and free of charge. It is issued to any adult woman who requests it, but she must do so in advance. Knowing that there are two emergency contraception tablets and that one of them costs 23 euros, this will be one less obstacle to taking this emergency contraception.

Is the fact of no longer going through a doctor a good thing?

Yes, because having to go through a doctor complicates access, especially when you see the current shortage of doctors. Consult a doctor for emergency contraception which must be taken as soon as possible after intercourse to increase its effectiveness, this is a brake. So, this is a great step forward for all women.

Should anonymity be encouraged in pharmacies?

Anonymity is also easier. Already because the patient who finds herself facing a risk of pregnancy after a report does not necessarily have her vital card on her. It is therefore to be hoped that the government decides to extend the terms of the system already in place for minors to adults. It doesn’t seem very complicated to me since pharmacists have a specific code to deliver emergency contraception free of charge and anonymously to underage women. This remains to be clarified by the government.

Do you think there are still a lot of misconceptions about the morning after pill?

Yes, there are always a lot of received ideas. The first is the impact on fertility. Many women think that if you take it several times, you become sterile. It is totally false. These are the same molecules as the daily pills but at different dosages. It is not a dangerous drug.

“The only problem that must be remembered is that it is not 100% effective. It will be effective if taken very quickly, in the hours that follow, but there is no limit to the number of times to take emergency contraception.

Julia Maruani, gynecologist and general secretary of the FNCGM

at franceinfo

However, it must remain an emergency situation, alongside more regular and more reliable contraception.

François Braun also announces free screening, without a prescription, for all sexually transmitted infections up to the age of 26, is this also a step forward?

Totally. This already exists in specialized screening centers, however it does not exist in all cities. Access can be difficult and these centers are not always known to younger people. So, making screening possible free of charge, without a prescription, in city laboratories, will facilitate access. It avoids having to consult a doctor for a prescription when you are at risk. It also avoids the small feeling of shame that some may feel.

The only reservation I have for this measure is how will the results be rendered? How will the patient know if there is an anomaly or not? Is it the biologist who will tell him? It will be necessary to think about this question so as not to put the patient in a difficulty of interpretation.


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