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23/06/2008
Women Get Pill Online
Women will now be able to get the oral contraceptive pill online without visiting their GP.
The medical website DrTHom is offering a three months' supply for £29.99.
The service will be initially offered to women already on the pill and then to women who have not taken it before.
A spokesman for the website says that before ordering the Pill, women will have to fill in a health questionnaire on their medical history, including family history of cancer, blood pressure, weight and height.
Women may also be asked follow-up questions by a doctor on the website.
Those patients wanting repeat prescriptions or those new to the pill would have to provide specific details of their blood pressure reading.
Women who take commonly prescribed combined Pill, containing oestrogens and proestrogens, have a small risk of developing blood clots.
Dr Thomas Van Every, DrThom's Medical Director said: "The aim of our new contraceptive service is to make it easier and more convenient for women throughout the UK to get access to the Pill.
"Our specialist service is ideal for a woman living a long way from her GP or a woman who is too busy because of work or childcare to take the time to visit her GP."
However, concern may arise from health practitioners that underage women may lie about their age to get the pill as the service is "unable to verify anything independently".
The spokesman said that doctors would rely on patients telling the truth and that is was possible that women under 18-years-of-age could lie about their age to obtain the pill.
However, a credit or debit card has to be held in the patient's name.
A spokeswoman for the British Bankers' Association said that some banks offered debit cards to 14-year-olds but that the average was 16.
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health, Lord Darzi, says that a programme could be implemented that would enable women to get the Pill from their chemist without a prescription.
However, Lord Darzi said that women would only be given the Pill after a "full assessment by at trained health professional".
(DS)
The medical website DrTHom is offering a three months' supply for £29.99.
The service will be initially offered to women already on the pill and then to women who have not taken it before.
A spokesman for the website says that before ordering the Pill, women will have to fill in a health questionnaire on their medical history, including family history of cancer, blood pressure, weight and height.
Women may also be asked follow-up questions by a doctor on the website.
Those patients wanting repeat prescriptions or those new to the pill would have to provide specific details of their blood pressure reading.
Women who take commonly prescribed combined Pill, containing oestrogens and proestrogens, have a small risk of developing blood clots.
Dr Thomas Van Every, DrThom's Medical Director said: "The aim of our new contraceptive service is to make it easier and more convenient for women throughout the UK to get access to the Pill.
"Our specialist service is ideal for a woman living a long way from her GP or a woman who is too busy because of work or childcare to take the time to visit her GP."
However, concern may arise from health practitioners that underage women may lie about their age to get the pill as the service is "unable to verify anything independently".
The spokesman said that doctors would rely on patients telling the truth and that is was possible that women under 18-years-of-age could lie about their age to obtain the pill.
However, a credit or debit card has to be held in the patient's name.
A spokeswoman for the British Bankers' Association said that some banks offered debit cards to 14-year-olds but that the average was 16.
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health, Lord Darzi, says that a programme could be implemented that would enable women to get the Pill from their chemist without a prescription.
However, Lord Darzi said that women would only be given the Pill after a "full assessment by at trained health professional".
(DS)
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