This was supposed to be a revolutionary programme, but more and more complications have emerged. One of the initial decisions made by Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna was to make the morning-after pill available without a prescription for women and teenagers over 15. Those younger could obtain a prescription for emergency contraception during medical appointments. The issue arose when the law concerning the morning-after pill reached President Andrzej Duda's desk, and he refused to sign it. Undeterred, Izabela Leszczyna introduced a new, equally controversial solution.

Minister Izabela Leszczyna has decided that prescriptions for the morning-after pill could soon be issued in pharmacies following a consultation with a pharmacist. This initiative aims to eliminate the need to wait for a doctor's appointment to obtain a prescription for emergency contraception, thereby significantly reducing the time between potentially risky intercourse and taking the medication.

Numerous indications suggest that pharmacists are reluctant to participate in the new programme. In 2023, there were 12,600 pharmacies and pharmacy outlets operating in Poland, with some sources suggesting the number could be as high as 14,000. Despite this, the NFZ (National Health Fund) reports that only 476 pharmacies have signed up for the programme. The highest number of registered pharmacies, 79, was recorded in the Śląskie Voivodeship. Wielkopolska region comes in second, with 63 outlets declaring their willingness to join the programme.

"In Mazovia, there are currently only 29 participating pharmacies. This number is low even for Warsaw alone, considering that Mazovia is the largest province in terms of both population and area. In Lesser Poland, there are 25 interested parties, in Lower Silesia 15, in Lubuskie only 6, in Podlasie 7, in Podkarpacie 8, in Świętokrzyskie 9, and in Lubelskie 10," Gazeta Wyborcza reports.

Gazeta Wyborcza asked Marek Tomkow, the president of the Supreme Pharmaceutical Council, to comment on the situation.

"I don't believe this is about right-wing views. It's more about pharmacies taking their time to consider participating in this trial programme for a bit longer. I am confident that the number of pharmacies involved will steadily increase," Tomkow replied.

In an interview with rynekzdrowia.pl, the director of the NFZ's Office of Social Communication and Promotion added: "Considering that there was a long weekend at that time and the first applications started arriving at the NFZ after 6 May, interest in the programme is growing. One-fifth (20%) of the pharmacies with the potential to join the trial have already applied. This can hardly be considered a poor result, especially since participation is voluntary, meaning not all pharmacies in Poland are required to join."

The National Health Fund also notes that smaller pharmacy outlets cannot join the pilot programme: "We estimate the potential number of pharmacies that can join the pilot at over 2,000. The Supreme Pharmaceutical Council has similar calculations. These are pharmacies that have previously participated in the vaccination programmes against COVID-19, influenza, and pneumococcus, meaning they are primarily prepared in terms of premises (a separate room to conduct vaccinations or consultations with patients seeking emergency contraception)."

Source: Gazeta Wyborcza