DCU students slam the suggestion that a cheaper morning after pill would lead to the misuse or overuse of the emergency contraception.
Following an onslaught of backlash back in July when the company refused to lower the cost of the Emergency Hormonal Contraception, Boots announced last month that they were dropping the price of the EHC pill by €11 in Ireland from September 18th.
“I think it should be even cheaper than €24 and that the idea that it would encourage more women to use it is ridiculous. It’s an emergency contraceptive,” said Shauna, a third year student.
Another student said “the price generally makes no difference to me because when I need it I’m in panic mode and just want to take it”.
The price drop means a generic version of the morning after pill can now be bought in Boots stores for €24. However, this is ‘insignificant’ according to DCU students who could already purchase it for the same price in the pharmacy on Glasnevin Campus.
Speaking to a pharmacist there, he said that the price is merely matching everywhere else as Boots had always been more expensive.
He referred to Boot’s controversial suggestion that reducing the price could cause an overuse of the EHC, saying he could see their call for concern.
“It’s there for a reason, it’s called emergency contraception for a reason,” he said before highlighting a drop in price of oral contraceptives this year. He said he would be more inclined to recommend oral contraceptives as a form of regular contraception.
A Spokesman for Boots has since apologised for their ‘poor choice of words’ which were accused of ‘infantilising women’ by a Labour MP in the UK.
Katie Gallagher