The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) says that it has been cleared by the Medicines Control Agency of an alleged breach of the Medicines (Advertising) Regulations 1994.
In a statement on May 12, the BPAS said that the MCA had dismissed a complaint that BPAS leaflets produced to promote its emergency contraception service broke the law by advertising prescription medicines to the public. According to the BPAS, the MCA ruled that the leaflets were designed to increase awareness of the availability of emergency contraception through services provided by the BPAS.
"The MCA does not seek to restrict access to information," it said. "The material submitted appears to be factual and health educational and is therefore not in breach of the advertising Regulations."
Ms Ann Furedi (director of communications, BPAS) said: "We were amazed that the literature was a cause of complaint. The leaflet does not promote any specific product and so cannot be said to be advertising one. It was intended to promote awareness of a useful contraceptive method and of our service."