title: Bringing emergency contraception over the counter: experiences of nonprescription users in France, Norway, Sweden and Portugal.
abstract: Emergency contraceptive pills are now available on a nonprescription basis in over 25 countries worldwide. In an effort to learn about women's experiences with this new means of emergency contraception (EC) service delivery, we conducted focus-group discussions with nonprescription EC users from France, Norway, Portugal and Sweden. Participants from these countries overwhelming supported pharmacy access to EC, explaining that pharmacy delivery facilitated rapid access to the method. Despite expressing mixed reviews of the counseling given by the providing pharmacists, participants reported that they knew how use the method safely and properly. Most indicated that the package insert was easy to understand and adequately answered the majority of their questions. Participants described the EC experience as a motivating factor that, in many cases, has led to more consistent use of regular contraceptive methods. These data are valuable to policy-makers and institutions interested in learning more about the safety and acceptability of nonprescription access to emergency contraceptive pills.
authors.affiliation: Research and Development, Laboratoire HRA Pharma, 75020 Paris, France. gainer@hra-pharma.com
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gainer
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: Else Lydia
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Toverud
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Portugal
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tyden
authors.forename: Britt Ingjerd
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Nesheim
authors.forename: Margareta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Duarte
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vilar
authors.forename: Pernille
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nymoen
authors.forename: Gunilla
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aneblom
authors.forename: Arielle
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lutwick
authors.forename: Beverly
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Winikoff
mesh_terms: D022126:Access to Information; D001290:Attitude; D044363:Contraception, Postcoital / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000592:standards*; D009664:Norway; D011174:Portugal; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D004366:Nonprescription Drugs