Poland step closer to prescription-only morning-after pill

Since 2015, Poles over the age of 15 could purchase the “emergency” pill over the counter. If passed by the upper house and president, the bill would mean a compulsory doctor’s visit first.

Joanna Kopcińska from the governing Jaw and Justice (PiS) party said that the proposed solution would allow a doctor to decide if the medication would not have adverse effects. “The safety of patients is most important,” she said.

But Bartosz Arłukowicz of the opposition Civic Platform (PO) party said the bill limited women’s rights.

Monika Wielichowska, another PO member of parliament, said politicians from the governing PiS party were "lying when you say it is an early miscarriage pill, that teenagers take them by the handful like lollies, that this method of contraception is harmful to health … you are using your parliamentary majority to take away from women their right to make decisions about themselves."

Last month, a parliamentary committee debate over the morning-after pill became so heated that the session was cut off.

Thousands of people have taken part in a number of protests against plans to limit access to the morning-after pill and abortions proposed by the conservative PiS government since it swept to power in October 2015. (vb/pk)

Source: PAP