A new law banning the morning-after pill would need to be enacted to prevent importers from supplying the emergency contraceptive, Civil Liberties Minister Helena Dalli has said.
The minister spoke after saying yesterday that the government would be following the Malta Medicines Authority's advice on the matter.
Debate on the morning-after pill made headlines last month after the Women’s Rights Foundation, with the backing of over a hundred women of all ages, filed a judicial protest against the State, demanding that the licensing, importation and distribution of emergency contraception to be made legal.
According to Dr Dalli however, there were no provisions in place stopping the importers from bringing the contraceptive to Malta.
“The way things stand at the moment, there is nothing that can stop importers,” the minister said.
The way things stand at the moment, there is nothing that can stop importers
Similar claims were made by the Prime Minister last week, who said that Malta could not stop companies from importing a morning-after pill if this already had EU approval.
Despite this, Dr Dalli insisted that the government would still be seeking advice from the Malta Medicines Authority, which she said was not “shunning its responsibility when it faces controversial and difficult decisions”.
Asked whether importers interested in importing the morning-after pill would face stiff restrictions if they tried to apply for licensing, Dr Dalli again reiterated that if there were importers expressing such an interest, the government would turn to the authority for advice before taking any action.
“The authority has shown its scientific prowess by explaining complex scientific issues in a clear and unambiguous manner," the minister said, adding that "I for one feel confident in following the recommendations of the competent authority."
The morning-after pill is a form of contraceptive that can be used to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse and is effective if taken soon after intercourse.
While the Women’s Rights Foundation has insisted that denying access to emergency contraceptives, including the morning-after pill, is in breach of women’s fundamental rights, pro-life groups have shot down initiative, saying the pill is abortifacient.
Debate on whether the pill is abortive hinges on whether pregnancy is considered to begin at the fertilisation stage or at a later stage in the reproductive cycle.
The World Health Organisation argues that all women and girls at risk of an unintended pregnancy should have a right to access emergency contraception.