Japan to allow sale of 'morning-after pills' without prescription on trial basis

Surprised to learn prescription was needed in the first place.

Exactly,

Monday- in the news We have a falling birthrate.

Tuesday- We decided to release the morning after pill.

Sexually assaulted victims should get a choice or underage.

But, this drug will be abused widely on all accidental pregnancies.

Mark my words on that. Ten fold if you can buy it in Cosmos without a script.

That’s ideal, but only for politics. Now they are easily out of responsibility and can say, you got wage hikes, you got cash handouts, you got more kindergartens and smaller school classes as well as more jobs for women and even a generally better life work balance, BUT now what do you all do for more childbirths instead? You eat those new pills like your daily breakfasts.

Nobody should have their life ruined because they messed up their birth control. Banning things isn't going to significantly raise the birth rate, either, because people aren't stupid and will find other sources.

Well, About time. Its a dose of Levonorgestrel which suppresses ovulation and thickens cervical mucus. Its an emergency contraceptive NOT an abortion pill, thats effective for 72 hours post sex. Its been either OTC or available at a pharmacy after a few simple questions in MANY countries including the US for years.

Unlikely to be abused by women. The side effects can be quite severe as those who've taken will testify to. Still, better than an unwanted pregnancy.

So - Christopher Mas Osan, please don't compare this with what you think it is - which has also just been approved here.

oh...and it DOES NOT affect existing pregnancies'.

Nobody should have their life ruined because they messed up their birth control.

No innocent life should be terminated because someone messed up their birth control.

FYI Adoption doesn't just exist in fable and folklore - it's a real thing. Abortion doesn't just deny the life of the unborn child, it denies another potential parent a chance to finally have a child of their own.

@Jay - This is not an abortion pill. It does not terminate a pregnancy, you get that,right?

Its emergency both control. Its not an abortion.

The people making this argument most likely want to ban condoms because they incentives fornication.

Next up, masturbation regulation because every wasted sperm is a tragedy.......

Grilledham&cheese

Their country, their rules.

I think it is the correct decision.

I can't believe the title of this article. Ok there is reasons it there not to agree the point. But like one of the major issue in this pass session of the deity was passing support and encouragement to boost the birth rate. Little as it is or miss place in other area, and no doubt hurdles to jump to qualify. Public promotion and daily news articles turning themselves inside out over the issues. Then come this without seeing an even see heath professional. Like at least a nurse specialising in pre and post natal. No just over the counter. I am just amazed. There is only one reason that at the heart of this which I dear not mention. Just amazed.

The fact that you can't just rock up to a pharmacy to grab a pack of Plan B is absurd. They might as well require a prescription for condoms.

@Grilledham&cheese

Because you quite clearly misunderstand what the pill does/is.

JayToday  05:15 pm JST.

No innocent life should be terminated because someone messed up their birth control. 

FYI Adoption doesn't just exist in fable and folklore - it's a real thing. Abortion doesn't just deny the life of the unborn child, it denies another potential parent a chance to finally have a child of their own.

I think it might be better to stay out of other people's sex lives, and their health care choices. It's really non of your business trying to get into the consultation room between a patient and a pharmacist/doctor. Some women may take it after being raped, or maybe their other contraception broke. Maybe someone took advantage of an alcohol situation, or maybe the man couldn't control his........how shall we say...his ability to withdraw from the situation, or maybe someone was having an affair. It's not for you to judge. It is between, the women, the man, the pharmacist and doc. Women should get the choices and care they want. Some may have the same feeling as you, some may not. Lets not judge. Thats the benefit of health care. We are not there to judge.

Me too and I say determined to be safe and legal.

It clearly says that designated stores will have trained pharmacists on hand and (checks the article) "They must also be able to coordinate with nearby obstetrics and gynecology clinics".

So mind your own business.

Grilledham&cheeseToday  04:52 pm JST

No age limit on who can actually purchase this at the store?

I think you will find there will be, but quite frankly its unlikely to be enforced, and rightly so.

Selling the drug without a prescription was discussed by a ministry panel in 2017, but the ministry stopped short of giving the green light, with critics saying making a morning-after pill available would encourage the irresponsible use of the drug after intercourse.

The men who make these rules adhere to scrupulous responsibility regarding sexual intercourse.

As I'm sure the loud conservative virtue-signalers railing against this development that gives women more control over their bodies do as well.

Won’t really help those who practice pull-and-pray — used by nearly 50% of adults aged 16-35 in the U.S., according to Glow, a fertility app marketed to women. Can’t even guess what the percentage would be here in Japan.

It's always men who want to control women's bodily autonomy.

That is really what it is. The rest is PR window-dressing.

I have 2 daughters and this is exactly the kind of access I want them to have and I don't need any holier-than thou person making those determinations for them, or me, or anyone.

It is safe and effective. So much so that it required no medical consultation in over 80 other countries prior to its adoption here.

The low birth rate argument is straight out of the Taliban playbook. Unless you are going to pony up all the funds mind your own business.

And even better, just mind your own business. This is about a woman's right to control her body and access healthcare.

Unless you are a woman who needs it, it does not concern you.

Well said @EFD.

Won’t really help those who practice pull-and-pray

Pull-and-pray is what it is desigend for. SMH.

I agree that is not the best method. That is why this this method exists.

while also potentially reducing the need for abortions.

??? These drugs are abortifacients, i.e. a form of abortion.

Abortions are the number one cause of death worldwide. 42,000,000 human beings a year…and Japan’s Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry are interested in increasing that number for…what? Improvement of the citizenry’s health!?!

Insanity, to say the very least.

Pull-and-pray is what it is desigend for. 

Perhaps “oops” is what it’s designed for.

The beer machine down the street from my place does not have such an age-verification feature. And don't try to change the argument.

Do you actually think kids are rocking up to the register at the local Welcia thinking "I bet the new morning after pill tastes just like Papico"?

Is your real agenda "Won't somebody think of the children" or you are just anti-abortion?

Grilledham&cheeseToday  06:42 pm JST

Kids can buy alcohol from vending machines here

Actually they can’t. The machines that sell beer require a special card you must buy at the convenience store.

So you think children having access to alcohol is ok as well?

There will be a fair few daughters of deeply conservative fathers who will be needing this lifesaver.

Great news. Rare these days.

Abortion doesn't just deny the life of the unborn child

”unborn child” means it’s fiction, unless you go to church on Sundays, not mondays or tuesdays of course.

I'm surprised to see so many here against women having control over their own bodies.

Men are the ones telling women what to do, and what not to do. They are probably the same people who were against the pill, or the condom which saved millions from getting infected from HIV, but couldnt wait to get viagra approved. They tell use how to live and what to do, and yet they will have not consequences, and have no responsibility, and walk away. They would rather women return to the back streets, where some got infected, and some died. They would rather women who, who struggle with other issues, force them to give birth. A rape victim, for the some rapist to then claim he has a right to see that child. or if they give that child up for adoption for that child to turn up on the door step, 20 years later. These are the same people who hated gays,lesbians, and were against free condoms/dental dams to reduce HIV rates. KUDOS to the japanese politicians. doctors and pharmacist.It what young women and some girls need. Stay out of medicine!

I’m pro choice but statistically speaking, if Japan were to make access to abortions harder or even illegal then that would offset the birth deficit and there would be no need to talk about immigration.

This will go a long way to preventing unwanted pregnancies and newborn babies ending up in garbage bins, flushed down toilets, buried in parks and left in train lockers. It should also prevent a lot of child abuse caused by resentment of an unwanted pregnancy.

I’m pro choice but statistically speaking, if Japan were to make access to abortions harder or even illegal then that would offset the birth deficit and there would be no need to talk about immigration.

democratic governments should have no say what a women decides to do with her body, men having power over womens bodies isnt going to help the birth rate

Jeremiah

Today 06:24 pm JST

while also potentially reducing the need for abortions.

> ??? These drugs are abortifacients, i.e. a form of abortion.

> Abortions are the number one cause of death worldwide. 42,000,000 human beings a year…and Japan’s Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry are interested in increasing that number for…what? Improvement of the citizenry’s health!?!

> Insanity, to say the very least.

This 42 million are not born, they cannot live, breath or eat on their own but then what is worse?

Let's see the nearly 3 million actually born that will die suffering before their first month, the nearly 6 million that will die before they reach 5 years of age not from war but for disease, starvation, etc...

If you are so worried about the lives of children, then do something about helping those that are born instead of pushing women into having children they don't want, can't care for or are not going to survive once born.