In Ukraine, there was a demand to cancel prescriptions for emergency contraception: what is known about the petition

A petition has been registered in Ukraine demanding to allow over-the-counter sale of emergency contraception. The author of the petition emphasized that the need to obtain a prescription may delay women’s access to drugs whose effectiveness depends on the time of use.

This was reported by the WoMo publication in August 2023.

Why did Ukrainian women demand the abolition of prescriptions

The author of the petition, Anna Tumanyan, appealed to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine with a request to ensure the possibility of purchasing emergency contraception drugs without a mandatory visit to a doctor.

In her opinion, the prescription release of such drugs created additional obstacles to the exercise of women’s reproductive rights.

The main argument was the limited time during which emergency contraception must be used.

The author of the petition noted that waiting for a doctor’s consultation and obtaining a prescription may reduce the effectiveness of the drug.

Separately, she drew attention to the risk of refusing to issue a prescription due to the personal beliefs of a medical professional.

Why rapid access to medication matters

Emergency contraception is used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or in cases where the main method of contraception has failed.

Such medications may also be necessary for women who have suffered sexual violence.

The effectiveness of medical emergency contraception depends, in particular, on the timeliness of its use. The specific allowable period of time is determined by the type of medication.

The author of the petition expressed concerns that limited access to emergency contraception could increase the number of unwanted pregnancies.

She also emphasized the international practice of selling the relevant medications over the counter.

How many signatures did the petition collect

As of August 16, 2023, the appeal had been supported by almost 18 thousand citizens out of the required 25 thousand.

At that time, four days remained until the end of the collection of signatures.

The petition was aimed at changing the procedure for accessing emergency contraception and drawing attention to the issue of women’s reproductive rights.

What is the situation with emergency contraception today

It is worth considering that the described petition concerns 2023, therefore the data provided on the number of signatures and the procedure for selling the drugs is historical information.

The material itself does not contain information on the final consideration of the appeal or the rules for dispensing specific drugs in force as of November 2026.

To determine the current procedure for purchasing, it is necessary to check the registration status and conditions for dispensing the relevant drug.