Position Statement: Access To Emergency Contraception

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Access to emergency contraception

Family Planning Queensland (FPQ) believes that promoting access to emergency contraception (EC) advances women's health and reproductive self-determination. Reproductive health implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life; they have the capability to reproduce; and that they have the freedom to decide if, when and how to do so. EC has the capacity to reduce unintended pregnancies.

FPQ supports the World Health Organisation and International Planned Parenthood Federation's recommendations:

• that prompt and easy access to EC is crucial to efficacy
• that women be informed of the availability of EC and its place within the contraceptive repertoire
• that women receive informed and equitable information about EC from health professionals
• that EC is not an abortifacient

FPQ confirms its support for women seeking choice in their sexual and reproductive lives. EC is a simple, safe and effective method of contraception that women should have equitable and easy access to.

FPQ seeks to improve access to EC for all women by:

• promoting awareness of EC
• initiating and participating in educational programs for health professionals
• advocating availability of advance purchase of EC
• supporting the Queensland Health endorsement of registered nurses through the Drug Therapies Protocol to supply EC
• supporting the rescheduling of EC from Poisons Schedule 4 to Poisons Schedule 3 by the Therapeutics Goods Administration
• supporting ongoing research of EC to provide the most effective and well tolerated contraceptive in an emergency situation.