Online £5 morning-after pill reopens ethical debate

THE MORNING after pill is being sold online for less than £5 by a UK website, leading to accusations it is encouraging women to bulk-buy.

Online pharmacy Chemist4u is offering an “advance supply” of the emergency contraception at £4.99.

Last night campaigners on reproductive ethics criticised the move, saying it would encourage women to treat the pill as routine contraception and without face-to-face consultation with a pharmacist.

The launch by the Lancashire firm follows an apology by Boots after it refused to cut the price of the morningafter pill in case doing so “incentivised inappropriate use”.

Labour MPS threatened to boycott the firm after it said it wanted to keep the price at £28.25, when Tesco and Superdrug were charging half the price for generic versions.

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service said Boots’ stance was patronising, triggering a row on sexism. After the backlash, Boots backed down and agreed to sell the pill for £15.99.

Following the latest development, Josephine Quintavalle, from Comment on Reproductive Ethics, criticised Chemist4u for offering the morning after pill at “pocket money prices”.

Mrs Quintavalle said: “These are really serious drugs – it worries me that even regardless of the moral issues, selling at these prices and without proper consultation is misleading women into thinking this is routine contraception and something that can be treated casually.”

Women can order one pack per order to be stored at home and are not allowed to buy more than three packs in six months.

Shamir Patel, director and pharmacist with Chemist4u, said he “firmly believes” in offering emergency contraception with as low a mark-up as possible.

He said: “We believe healthcare should be affordable, and the morning after pill is not expensive to produce.”

A spokesperson for the British Pregnancy Advisory Service said: “We see women at our clinics who are facing an unplanned pregnancy because they were unable to afford emergency contraception when they needed it.

“Pharmacies are doing the right thing for women and their well-being by reducing the price, and we absolutely commend their commitment.”