Emergency Contraceptive Pills: Drug will Help Women Handle Anxious Situation

Editorial

15:25 JST, October 4, 2025

Many women are confronted with the anxious prospect of an unintended pregnancy due to contraceptive failure or sexual violence. Morning-after pills can be considered an effective means of providing relief to such women.

An expert panel of the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has approved making emergency contraceptives, which currently require a doctor’s prescription, available over the counter. Following the government’s approval procedures, they are expected to be available for purchase at pharmacies as early as this fiscal year.

There will be no age restrictions for purchase, nor will parental consent be required. However, due to concerns raised by some experts about potential misuse, such as purchasing for resale purposes, women taking the medication will be required to do so in the presence of a pharmacist.

Emergency contraceptives work to prevent pregnancy by delaying ovulation, making fertilization more difficult. They must be taken within 72 hours after intercourse and are more effective the sooner they are taken.

In about 90 countries, morning-after pills can be purchased without consulting with a doctor. It is said to have few side effects and be very safe. Consequently, calls for it to be made available over the counter had grown louder also in Japan.

It is a logical decision to enable women to take the medication as early as possible, for reasons such as enhancing its effectiveness.

Cases of unwanted pregnancy could lead to situations where women give birth alone without being able to consult anyone, or where newborns are abandoned. If they undergo an abortion, the physical and mental burden on the woman is significant.

Emergency contraceptives will likely help reduce the number of such cases.

However, the probability of preventing pregnancy through taking the medication is only about 80%, making it strictly an emergency measure. Disseminating accurate information about the medication is essential. The misconception that it eliminates the need for other contraceptive methods like low-dose birth control pills or condoms must not be allowed to spread.

Expanding sex education is also a major task. In addition to teaching about the male and female body and contraceptive methods, opportunities to learn about respecting the human rights of partners and the importance of sexual consent are also necessary.

Sexual violence is one reason women seek emergency contraceptives. When selling the medication, providing information about support services for victims of sexual violence is also essential.

Some women may hesitate to purchase the medication out of a sense of shame if they have to take it in front of a pharmacist. It is hoped that measures such as the setting up of partitioned areas to ensure privacy will be taken when selling the medication. Other considerations such as having female pharmacists handle such purchases is also necessary.

At ¥7,000 to ¥9,000 per dose, emergency contraceptives are expensive, with some pointing out that the high cost makes them less accessible to the younger generation. The government must strive for its appropriate wider use by continuing to review and improve the situation where necessary.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Oct. 4, 2025)