For the time being, the pill will remain as a ‘prescription only’ item here in Australia. This comes after a recent review undertaken by the Advisory Committee on Medicines Scheduling (ACMS).
Whilst the possibility of moving the pill to an over the counter medicine three key reasons were cited for maintaining the current system:
- There may be a potential increase in use when there are other alternative and potentially safer methods of contraception
- The potential for inappropriate use
- Adverse effects with chronic use
Should de-scheduling occur in the future, do you think community pharmacy is equipped to counsel patients about the use of the pill? Are your staff trained to deal with such a change?
Is the change beneficial to the user? And to the health system in general?