Oral emergency contraceptive pills gaining popularity among young girls
Advertisements quite misleading and its side-effects are undisclosed
NEW DELHI: Concerned over the indiscriminate use of emergency contraceptive pills sold across the country, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has written to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Medical Council of India seeking their opinion in curbing the promotion of these pills.
In a statement issued here, the NCW has said that it had been brought to their notice that wide scale advertisement campaign in favour of oral emergency contraceptive pills was being carried out by the pharmaceutical companies.
These pills are gaining popularity among young girls despite repeated warning from doctors against the use, the statement said.
“With concern, it is seen that the drug is being projected as an after saviour of unsafe sex. The advertisements of these pills are quite misleading and its side-effects as well as efficacy are not at all being disclosed,” the statement said.
It is being projected as an alternative to the safe sex method and thus may lead to an everlasting impact on the younger generation and in turn result in the government and the society losing its battle against AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases besides putting the women through grave emotional and physical trauma and everlasting effect of hormonal imbalance, the Commission said.
Over-the-counter drug
Pointing out that these pills were designed for women over 25 years and accordingly it is felt that it may have dangerous side-effects on teenagers and on women using it too regularly, the panel has further said that this is an over-the-counter drug and hence did not require any medical prescription.
It is dangerous because emergency pills do not prevent sexually transmitted disease like HIV/AIDS, the statement added.
Advertisements quite misleading and its side-effects are undisclosed
NEW DELHI: Concerned over the indiscriminate use of emergency contraceptive pills sold across the country, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has written to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Medical Council of India seeking their opinion in curbing the promotion of these pills.
In a statement issued here, the NCW has said that it had been brought to their notice that wide scale advertisement campaign in favour of oral emergency contraceptive pills was being carried out by the pharmaceutical companies.
These pills are gaining popularity among young girls despite repeated warning from doctors against the use, the statement said.
“With concern, it is seen that the drug is being projected as an after saviour of unsafe sex. The advertisements of these pills are quite misleading and its side-effects as well as efficacy are not at all being disclosed,” the statement said.
It is being projected as an alternative to the safe sex method and thus may lead to an everlasting impact on the younger generation and in turn result in the government and the society losing its battle against AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases besides putting the women through grave emotional and physical trauma and everlasting effect of hormonal imbalance, the Commission said.
Over-the-counter drug
Pointing out that these pills were designed for women over 25 years and accordingly it is felt that it may have dangerous side-effects on teenagers and on women using it too regularly, the panel has further said that this is an over-the-counter drug and hence did not require any medical prescription.
It is dangerous because emergency pills do not prevent sexually transmitted disease like HIV/AIDS, the statement added.
The Hindu online edition 23.03.2010
http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/23/stories/2010022358442000.htm
http://www.hindu.com/2010/02/23/stories/2010022358442000.htm
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