The morning after tablet (MAP) is out there in some pharmacies from at the moment and could be ordered on request. Neofarma Malta, the one pharmaceutical firm at present capable of distribute the drug, delivers emergency contraception to its respective pharmacies.

An organization spokesperson stated that if an individual orders emergency contraception at the moment at a pharmacy, the corporate can ship it no later than tomorrow.

Within the feedback to The unbiased of Malta, Civil Liberties and Social Dialogue Minister Helena Dalli (under) stated:

“Emergency contraception is now out there as an over-the-counter remedy at native pharmacies. I’m satisfied that native pharmacists who know find out how to counsel our sufferers on the usage of medicines will assist present an data service to shoppers in want of emergency contraception.

“This may be certain that we now have a product that meets the necessities for high quality, security and efficacy. I perceive {that a} vital variety of pharmacies now inventory emergency contraception, guaranteeing speedy and efficient accessibility to the drug. “

The difficulty was first raised by the Girls’s Rights Basis. A bunch of 102 girls had filed a authorized protest calling on the federal government to vary its stance on emergency contraception, because it violates girls’s primary rights and their means to correctly plan how a lot, how a lot, and when. decides to have kids. The protest was introduced in opposition to each the Ministry of Well being and the Ministry of Civil Liberties, over their allegation that primary human rights had been violated.

This led to a parliamentary committee debating the problem, the place MPs on either side of the political divide concluded that the Medicines Authority ought to finally determine whether or not the tablet could be licensed and distributed in Malta. The committee beneficial that or not it’s made out there solely on medical prescription.

This sparked outrage from quite a few girls’s rights teams, members of civil society, in addition to the Ministry of Civil Liberties. The Medicines Authority finally concluded that the tablet ought to be made out there over-the-counter, following session with a pharmacist – in keeping with the vast majority of EU member states. The transfer was opposed by authorities whip Godfrey Farrugia, Reward of Life and different pro-life teams.

A bone of competition for these in favor of emergency contraception is that pharmacists are entitled to conscientious objection based mostly on their private beliefs.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Social Dialogue and Civil Liberties confirmed that pharmacists can have the proper to refuse to promote MAP for causes of conscience, however that they however have the duty to refer a consumer to a different pharmacist / pharmacy the place the tablet is. out there.