# Boots and Morning After Pill



## Sunny (11 Jan 2011)

[broken link removed]

Finally a bit of common sense. As a guy, I probably shouldn't comment on female contraception but I could never understand why women have to go to the GP for the normal pill and the morning after pill. Properly trained pharmacists are perfectly able to offer the service and advice to women. It then frees up space in GP surgeries. There are plenty of other things that be done this way. Boots also offering the flu vacine is another example. 

GP's saying that by increasing access to the service, you are increasing demand is a stupid argument.


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## truthseeker (11 Jan 2011)

You cant even buy a packet of solphadeine in this country without being treated as though you are some kind of junkie - I doubt the powers that be will let Boots away with this for too long. 

Sure it wouldnt be fair on GPs to deprive them of the 60 quid they charge to prescribe this


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## Bronte (11 Jan 2011)

I agree progress at last.


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## Staples (11 Jan 2011)

Are the pharmacists qualified to give you a good telling off like the doctors used to?


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## Ciaraella (11 Jan 2011)

It really is so unfair to have to see a GP for the pill.
Unless you have any serious health issues the appointment just involves them taking your blood pressure and enquiring generally about how you're doing on it.
If you're on the same pill for years you should be able to see a nurse and get the pill for a smaller consultation fee.

In realtion to the morning after pill, people will do what they're going to do.
If someone is going to be lax about contraception then a change in where they get the morning after pill will nto change that.
And accidents will always happen no matter what.
This is the same kind of outcry that happens when abortion is mentioned, and even divorce.
That somehow because an option is made more available that more people will avail of it more.


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## The_Banker (11 Jan 2011)

To be honest I dont think there is any outcry by anyone in society except for the doctors (and that is financial).
I got the impression from listening to talkshows yesterday that presenters were hoping that someone would make an outcry. But no one did.

Hopefully the zealots have been beaten at last!!


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## fizzelina (11 Jan 2011)

Staples said:


> Are the pharmacists qualified to give you a good telling off like the doctors used to?


 
And still do I have recently heard an anecdote to that effect from a person in her late 20's who didn't need the lecture.
And I agree that so far it is only the GP's I have heard giving out about this. Personally I'm glad Boots took the stand. It makes me wonder though why it was never done before, it seems like the Irish Pharmaceutical Union and the Association of GP's were in agreement not to allow chemists dispense it?


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## DB74 (11 Jan 2011)

When I was young and irresponsible my ex-girlfriend went to a local GP to get the morning after pill. After the lecture he refused to give it to her saying that she will have to learn to live with the consequences. We got it in the Wellwoman clinic in Dublin City with no questions asked.


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## truthseeker (11 Jan 2011)

DB74 said:


> After the lecture he refused to give it to her saying that she will have to learn to live with the consequences.


 
Absolutely disgraceful and the GP in question should have been reported to the medical council for imposing his own religious/moral beliefs on a patient. Not the first time Ive heard such a story though.


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## Caveat (11 Jan 2011)

truthseeker said:


> Absolutely disgraceful and the GP in question should have been reported to the medical council for imposing his own religious/moral beliefs on a patient. Not the first time Ive heard such a story though.


 
+1

I find it disturbing really. What if GPs like him had become surgeons? Wouldn't fancy some pompous old git like him making ethical or moral decisions if things get dicey when I'm under the knife.


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## DB74 (11 Jan 2011)

It was about 15 years ago and the GP was a real old fogey.

I wasn't in the surgery at the time of the consultation, lucky enough because I was absolutely livid when she came out and told me.

The guy also charged her for the visit, which she held off from telling me until we were well on our way into town at that stage!


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## truthseeker (11 Jan 2011)

DB74 said:


> It was about 15 years ago and the GP was a real old fogey.


 
GPs giving advice based on religious/moral reasons still goes on. Off topic but a friend saw a GP last year for a particular issue and the GP gave her religious advice rather than prescribe the relevant medication. The GP in question was not Catholic and the advice was specific to a particular religion/custom. My friend went back to a different GP in the practice and was prescribed the correct medicine and given an assurance that GP 2 would have a word with GP 1. She was not charged for the 2nd visit.

It was quite a minor complaint but GP 1 could have been giving all kinds of dark ages advice based on her own culture/religion that have no place in a modern GP practice. 

I personally believe that the religious/moral/cultural beliefs of an individual GP should be kept out of the surgery when treating patients. 

I also believe that there are MANY drugs that a prescription is unnecessary for and its ridiculous that people have to go and spend 60 odd quid to get a prescription for them.


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## Yorrick (11 Jan 2011)

Will finger wagging and "tut tutting" now be part of pharmacists training ?
or maybe a course of "down with that type of thing"


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## truthseeker (11 Jan 2011)

I have to query this - my GP doesnt tut tut me or give me a telling off no matter what I tell her. 

Is it common for people to get a telling off or a tut tut from their GP?


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## Niall M (11 Jan 2011)

Why is it being offered in 49 of its 50 stores, why not all of them?


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## The_Banker (11 Jan 2011)

Niall M said:


> Why is it being offered in 49 of its 50 stores, why not all of them?


 
Boots in Mahon Point, Cork dont actually sell medicine!


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## michaelm (11 Jan 2011)

fizzelina said:


> I'm glad Boots took the stand.


I'm not sure they are taking a stand on anything.  It pains me that I need to get a prescription for anything;  I'm not going to OD on anything nor get a antibiotic when I don't need it etc.  I'd like to be able to get everything over the counter and while that might work for me and many, I can see it being problematic in general.


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## dewdrop (11 Jan 2011)

I have noticed recently that chemists are highlighting the fact that they provide advice and i suspect the medical profession are afraid they will lose income.  They have looked stupid in their views on the "morning after pill" being sold by chemists. I always remember my late mother always brought us to the local chemist when she was worried about our health as a first port of call.


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## Leper (11 Jan 2011)

It is about time that the Pharmacists imposed their knowledge and qualifications on the Irish people. Pharmacies have been doing this for years in Europe. I'm not surprised to see the GPs bitchin' about loss of business errrr . . . sorry loss of revenue. But, our pharmacies are not too bad at the bitchin' either. Remember they are the ones who had the continental pharmacies refuse to give out tablets without prescriptions from doctors in their countries.

But, I am in total support of the Irish females here. Good on ya Boots!


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## roker (11 Jan 2011)

What is our society coming to, when Boots point blank refused me Solpadeine for my migraine, but they are giving out morning after XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. 
When I was on holiday in Portugal I was able to purchase the stronger version (Solpadol)which is on prescription only here.


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## Maximus152 (12 Jan 2011)

Re:Staples...GP a good giving off.

Not sure I woud nt know.

M
Because Im worth it.


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## Niall M (12 Jan 2011)

The_Banker said:


> Boots in Mahon Point, Cork dont actually sell medicine!


 

well spotted, i only realised that now!


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## Bronte (12 Jan 2011)

roker said:


> What is our society coming to, when Boots point blank refused me Solpadeine for my migraine, .


 
On what grounds did they refuse you?


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## truthseeker (12 Jan 2011)

Bronte said:


> On what grounds did they refuse you?


 
Let me make a guess (a friend was also recently refused solphadeine in Boots). 

The reasons given were (a) codeine can be addictive and (b) there are other painkillers without codeine in them that are just as effective for a 'headache'.

My friend was then shown a number of plain paracetmol or aspirin containing tablets - all of which he refused. He went somewhere else and got the solphadeine.


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## roker (12 Jan 2011)

Exactly the same in my case, I find that the other medication is ineffective, I got them somewhere else. This is a new government rule to remove these tablets out of sight. I take 2 sometime I need a 2nd does when I have a migraine, no way am I addicted.

Also codeine is very effective for irritating coughs, when over the counter medicines will not work.


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## annR (13 Jan 2011)

People are people. .. . .I'm sure there will be pharmacists who will revel in a bit of finger wagging if they feel like it just like everyone else.  They're also prone to blurring the line between proper advice and their own opinions on alternative medicine and probiotics etc. again just like everyone else.  At least in a GP you're not standing at a till with a queue of people behind you listening to it.


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