The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7224 p703
16 November 2002

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DoH: NHS Contraceptive Services, England: 2001-02 (more)

EHC consumption up by 20 per cent

Use of emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) has risen by nearly a fifth in England since the introduction of Levonelle as a pharmacy medicine in January 2002, despite a reduction in EHC prescribing.

Department of Health figures show that 783,800 courses of EHC were prescribed in 2000–01 compared with 620,000 in 2001–02. According to Schering, about a third of EHC sales have been through pharmacies.

Therefore roughly 310,000 courses of Levonelle were sold as a pharmacy medicine or supplied under patient group directions during 2001–02 — an estimated 930,000 courses in total and an 18.7 per cent increase on last year.