Yahoo Lifestyle The Pill May Become Available Without Prescription
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has set off alarm bells in the medical industry after announcing a proposal to make the contraceptive pill available over the counter.
According to news.com.au, the Australian Medical Association is against the proposal, warning that the medication can have serious side effects that may not be communicated properly to consumers without proper medical supervision.
"It's a significant issue because the pill does have risks for women," said Dr Brian Morton of the AMA, who added that he was particularly concerned about the long-term effects.
"There will be dramatic impacts, we'll go back to the bad old days of cervical cancer because women won't be having Pap smears," he said. "Doctors also need to discuss with women the risks of smoking and the pill, and the fact they still need to protect against sexually transmitted infections."
A 2012 report by marie claire highlighted the risks associated with using the popular contraceptive Yasmin - which could prove even more poignant without close medical supervision:
"All drugs have side effects, but, according to some experts, Yaz is in a class of its own. Figures vary, but a 2011 FDA study of more than 835,000 women found that the risk of blood clots with this type of drug is up to three times that of other contraceptives. A 2011 Danish study of 1.3 million women, conducted over nine years and published in the British Medical Journal, found that a woman's risk of blood clots is a staggering six times higher when taking either Yaz or Yasmin."
Under the new proposal, chemists would be the ones checking if patients were suitable for the contraceptive pill, which would involve testing blood pressure and questioning family history of stroke and hypertension.
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