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Emergency contraception

OTC domperidone

From Dr S. G. Mann

The reply by Dr Peter Wilson to the letter from Nitin Shah (PJ, March 17, p356) on the use of anti-emetics in emergency hormonal contraception contains a potentially misleading statement relating to domperidone.

Dr Wilson comments that family planning doctors often prescribe domperidone to combat vomiting associated with EHC. He then states: “However there is not a currently licensed OTC indication for domperidone.” We suspect he intended this to convey: “However this is not a currently licensed OTC indication for domperidone.”

Domperidone maleate (Motilium 10) switched from POM to P status in 1998 for the “relief of post-prandial symptoms of fullness, nausea, epigastric bloating and belching that is occasionally accompanied by epigastric discomfort and heartburn”.

We support Dr Wilson's comments on the options open to pharmacists and his suggestion that it may help pharmacists to be aware of how local family planning practitioners manage vomiting associated with EHC.

Stephen G. Mann
Medical Director, Johnson & Johnson MSD

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