Photo/Illutration Asuka Someya, right, and Kazuko Fukuda, both co-chairs a citizens group working to enable access to emergency contraception at pharmacies, show morning-after pills at a news conference in Tokyo on Nov. 28. (Kazuya Goto)

A trial run of over-the-counter sales of emergency contraception, also known as the morning-after pill, started on Nov. 28 at two to six pharmacies in each prefecture of Japan.

The number of people who can buy the pills is limited for now.

Emergency contraception, which delays ovulation, has an 80 percent success rate of preventing pregnancy if taken within 72 hours after sexual intercourse.

Until now, the drug required a doctor’s prescription.

The pills are now sold at 145 pharmacies nationwide, with prices ranging from 7,000 yen ($48) to 9,000 yen.

The locations are listed on a research project’s website: (https://www.pharmacy-ec-trial.jp/).

Those wishing to buy the pills must call the pharmacies to make an appointment.

People under 16 years old are ineligible, and 16- and 17-year-olds must be accompanied by a guardian to the pharmacies.

The health ministry commissioned the Japan Pharmaceutical Association to conduct the trial sales as part of a research project.

The association will gather data on sales, conditions at the pharmacies and customer feedback until the end of this fiscal year next March.

The ministry aims to secure a budget to continue the trial sales into the next fiscal year.

“We would like to conduct necessary public outreach so that those who need the pills can access them appropriately,” health minister Keizo Takemi said at a news conference on Nov. 28.

Also that day, a citizens group submitted a request to the ministry to make the pills available for anyone who needs them, particularly victims of contraceptive failure or sexual violence.

The group called on the government to spread public awareness of the trial sales and to swiftly implement full-scale over-the-counter availability of the pills.

Related News