From Mr J. L. Honigman, MRPharmS
SIR,-The Daily Telegraph reported (some editions, August 9, p5) that of 3,233 females asking for over-the-counter emergency contraception, in the Manchester, Salford and Trafford health action zones, 122 were under the age of 18 and 30 were 14-year-olds.
The dispensing of this post-coital contraception by pharmacists without the prescription of a medical practitioner has been hailed, on the one hand, as a victory for pharmacy and, on the other, as a doubtful contribution to moral, religious, ethical or social standards.
From a health professional point of view, it seems to me that pharmacists are condoning unprotected sex. It seems somewhat paradoxical to be the purveyor of free syringes as prophylaxis against the transfer of blood borne diseases while being seen to turn a blind eye to the potentially fatal consequences of irresponsible behaviour by minors.
While I understand that a 10-minute consultation is given, it seems unlikely that much will be absorbed when an unfortunate child's sole preoccupation is getting her hands on the desperately required remedy. I do not see, however, why a package containing this together with a condom, just in case this should happen again, and a leaflet emphasising the dangers of unprotected congress should not be provided.
In my experience of discussions at former family planning clinic meetings and in practice in an area where illegitimacy was fairly common, I saw no evidence of these babies being neglected, which appears to be inferred in the reported comment of a spokesperson from this health action zone ("unwanted" babies). Indeed, where the young mother was not able to care for the infant, the maternal grandmother took charge.
A further social comment might be relevant here. The young "lad" out with his packet of condoms on a Saturday night in case he "struck lucky" need only give the girl a "tenner" to enable her to go to the pharmacy the next morning "if she's worried", thus producing a subculture of non-profit making prostitution.
In view of the increasing proportion of women in pharmacy, I am amazed that none of them sees fit to take greater interest in their less fortunate sisters in which I, a mere male, see as female exploitation verging on paedophilia.
J. L. Honigman
Cheadle