Easier access

“Morning-after pill”: Poland’s president vetoes the bill

A law is planned in Poland to make the morning-after pill available without a prescription. However, the conservative President Andrzej Duda vetoed the bill on Friday. Parliament should reconsider the amendment, he said.

The president could not accept a law that would allow access to the "morning-after pill for children under the age of 18 without medical supervision and bypassing the role and responsibility of parents", he said. The parliament in Warsaw had approved the proposed law at the end of February. According to the bill, the medication, which can prevent pregnancy before ovulation, should be available from the age of 15.

Previous prescription requirement
The previous prescription requirement was introduced by the ruling right-wing nationalist Law and Justice party (PiS, 2015 to 2023). The government had already anticipated Duda's veto and therefore announced that it would circumvent it. According to Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna, a regulation has been prepared that will allow pharmacists to issue prescriptions for the morning-after pill. In order to prevent unwanted pregnancies, this option is to be available from May 1. "We are now launching Plan B," said Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

The emergency contraceptive pill must be taken as soon as possible, preferably within twelve hours, but no later than 72 or 120 hours (depending on the active ingredient) after sex. It is not an abortion pill, but postpones ovulation.

Abortion only in exceptional cases
In January, the Tusk government made a move to liberalize Poland's restrictive abortion law (see video above). Currently, abortions are only permitted in Poland after rape and incest or if the life of the pregnant woman is in danger.