Govt spend nearly €15.5 on Morning after pill on free drug schemes over 3 years
18.08.2023
Following recent freedom of Information data that was released, nearly 180,000 women got the morning-after pill or other ’emergency contraception’ on free drugs schemes during the past three years at a cost of approx €15.5 million.
In 2020, only 87 women received emergency contraception under the scheme, at a cost of €1,739. This increased to 23,432 in 2021 and 26,476 last year, costing €3.2m and €3.7m respectively.
In excess of 60% of those who received the morning-after pill availed of it through their medical cards, and 28% received drugs and devices under the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS). The remainder qualified under the Free Contraception Scheme.
This shows a clear correlation between government paid schemes and an increase in abortion through abortifacient contraception.
Since abortion has been legalised we have seen drastic year-on-year increases in various methods of abortion. The Government's response has not been to create efforts to limit killing of our unborn, but instead to further escalate these already colossal numbers.
According to the Freedom of Information data reported by the Irish Independent, "Pills and devices were provided to 111,533 medical card-holders under the General Medical Scheme (GMS) between 2020 and 2023 at a cost of €7.8m, according to records released under Freedom of Information laws.
The GMS covers the cost of prescribed, approved medicines and health services for individuals who satisfy a means test.
The DPS covers the cost of medications for families in excess of €80 a month.
A free contraception scheme was also introduced last year for women aged between 17 and 25. The cost of morning-after medications and emergency IUDs dispensed under the scheme last year amounted to €790,719.
The latest figures suggest the Covid-19 pandemic and associated restrictions had a notable impact on the number of people seeking the morning-after pill under the DPS.
In 2020, only 87 women received emergency contraception under the scheme, at a cost of €1,739. This increased to 23,432 in 2021 and 26,476 last year, costing €3.2m and €3.7m respectively.
The number of medical-card holders seeking post-coital contraceptives remained relatively unaffected, however, with 33,791 getting morning-after pills in 2020 compared with 37,278 the following year and 37,837 last year.
A total of 19,827 received the items under the Free Contraception Scheme, which was expanded in January to include women aged 26.
Nearly 84pc of GPs had signed up to the scheme by June, and 1,892 pharmacies also provide contraception free under the scheme."