The Malta Confederation of Women's Organisations said it strongly disagrees with suggestions that the morning-after pill should be dispensed only through a prescription.
Women in Malta have the right to a wide choice of emergency contraception and this should be widely available over the counter to allow them to have more control over their lives, their health and their body, the confederation said in a statement today.
On Wednesday, a joint meeting of the health, social affairs and family affairs committees concluded that a decision on the licensing of the morning-after pill should be taken by the Medicines Authority based on recommendations by Parliament.
The committees, however, recommended that, if licenced, the contraceptive should not be sold over the counter.
The arguments over the pill have sparked controversy, with those in favour of making it available arguing that it would be a breach of women’s rights if they did not have access to it. On the other hand, those against argued that the pill could be abortifacient and should not be licensed.
Meanwhile, the Women’s Rights Foundation is not excluding taking further legal action, including opening a constitutional case against the State, to ensure “women’s rights are protected” after three parliamentary committees made recommendations on emergency contraceptives.
The foundation, which has filed a judicial protest against the State to have the morning-after pill licensed, lambasted the committees, saying that their suggestion to not make it available over-the-counter was “inappropriate”.
Speaking to this newspaper, foundation chairperson Andrea Dibben said the foundation would be waiting until recommendations were tabled in Parliament next week before proceeding with further action.
“We have waited for the process to take its due course and we are still not happy with the outcome of it all. How can an authority be expected to work in an autonomous way when Parliament is insisting on making recommendations before any decision is taken?” Dr Dibben asked.
How can an authority be expected to work autonomously when Parliament insists on making recommendations before any decision is taken?
Parliament’s health, social affairs and family affairs committees concluded earlier this week that the final decision on making the emergency contraceptive available should be taken by the Medicines Authority.
The members also recommended that it should be doctors who prescribe the contraceptive and they will have every right to act as conscientious objectors.
Allowing doctors to act as conscientious objectors would be “opening a dangerous can of worms”, Dr Dibben said, adding that the European Court of Human Rights had already declared that doctors could not refuse to dispense licensed medicines.
“What was the point in recommending that emergency contraception be licensed ‘prescription only’, if not to exert undue political pressure,” Dr Dibben went on.
Since the judicial protest was filed, Dr Dibben said, not much had changed, despite the numerous meetings held over the summer. The lack of availability of the medication and the committees’ recommendations were still in breach of women’s rights.
“We now have Parliament about to impose on the Medicines Authority, that is really and truly administrative, when the system in place for other medicines would have been sufficient,” Dr Dibben said.