TY - JOUR T1 - Emergency contraception from community pharmacies: looking back and looking forward JF - BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health JO - BMJ Sex Reprod Health DO - 10.1136/bmjsrh-2020-200767 SP - bmjsrh-2020-200767 AU - Andrew Radley AU - Claire Anderson Y1 - 2020/09/08 UR - http://jfprhc.bmj.com/content/early/2020/09/07/bmjsrh-2020-200767.abstract N2 - Sharon Cameron and our colleagues present a study investigating the provision of emergency contraception (EC) from pharmacies, using a mystery shopper methodology undertaken in Edinburgh, Dundee and London, UK.1 We report that most women were able to undertake their consultation in a private room and that half received advice about ongoing contraception. However, one in five women left the pharmacy without EC because of the unavailability of a pharmacist or lack of supplies of EC. This is unacceptable and the pharmacy profession, contractor bodies and commissioners have a role in raising the professional standards of all pharmacies to those of the best. Universal commissioning of free EC and ongoing contraception should be available through pharmacies regardless of a woman’s age.The authors remark that although availability of EC from pharmacies improves access, women in the UK still require a consultation with a pharmacist and the privacy of a sensitive consultation for EC in the community pharmacy is not guaranteed. They conclude that opportunities to prevent unintended pregnancy are being missed and it is now time to make EC available as a general sales list medicine (GSL).1 We would highlight that access to EC from pharmacies brings with it a series of distinct advantages that may outweigh the potential advantages of deregulation. As a GSL medicine, EC would be able … ER -