97% Of Japan Public Comments Favor OTC Sale Of Contraceptives

About 97% of the roughly 46,300 public comments recently submitted to Japan's health ministry regarding access to emergency contraceptives support over-the-counter (OTC) availability of the drugs, Takuya Murata reported for Mainichi Japan.

Photo Insert: Currently, a doctor's prescription is required to purchase such pills, but some women are unable to seek medical care for a variety of reasons, including not having an OB-GYN clinic nearby or being the victim of date rape or other criminal activity.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare plans to hold a meeting of experts to discuss the commercialization of the morning-after pill, which is intended to prevent unwanted pregnancies and to finalize its stance.

Emergency contraceptives should be taken as soon as possible within 72 hours of sexual intercourse if pregnancy is not desired.

Currently, a doctor's prescription is required to purchase such pills, but some women are unable to seek medical care for a variety of reasons, including not having an OB-GYN clinic nearby or being the victim of date rape or other criminal activity.

The ministry accepted public comments from December 2022 through January 2023. Of the 46,300 comments, approximately 45,000 were in favor of the commercialization of the product, while about 300 were opposed, meaning roughly 97% supported the idea.

Comments favoring the move included: "It is a misconception that emergency contraceptives are only used by victims of sex crimes and sexual violence. There are many women who become pregnant at a different time than they would like, even if they are in a good sexual relationship, and there is a great need for emergency contraceptives in these situations" and "emergency contraceptives are hard to obtain and we need to have them available at pharmacies as soon as possible."

Regarding conditions for over-the-counter sales, some commented that "the price should be low" and "there should be an age limit."

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