The morning after pill gets approved for over-the-counter sales in Canada. The drug levonorgestrel, sold under the brand name Plan B, has been approved for sale directly from pharmacies, Health Canada confirmed earlier this week. Plan B will be kept behind the counter and available without a doctor's prescription. The pill is considered 95 percent effective at preventing unintended pregnancy if taken within 24 hours of unprotected sex, but has no effect on an established pregnancy. It prevents pregnancy by preventing embryos from attaching to the wall of the uterus. Health Canada's move follows British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Quebec, where women can already access the contraceptive without a prescription. Last month, researchers in B.C. found use of the emergency contraception had doubled in the province since the pill became over-the-counter. Under new federal rules, pharmacists will have to offer counseling about side effects such as nausea and vomiting, sexually transmitted diseases, and contraception to women requesting the drug. It is up to the provinces and territories to decide if they wish to move further and remove all restrictions on the drug, allowing women to access it without the help of the pharmacist |
