Superdrug has reduced the price of a generic version of the emergency hormonal contraceptive pill (levonorgestrel) to £9.99, the lowest price at any high street pharmacy chain, according to the local press. The move came after Boots announced that it was reducing the price of generic emergency hormonal contraception to £10.00 from 1st February 2022. The price reductions follow a lengthy campaign by healthcare charities and members of parliament (MPs) for better and cheaper access to emergency contraception.
The price changes have been welcomed by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) which is now calling for emergency contraception to be sold directly off the shelf (rather than restricted to behind the pharmacy counter and available subject to consultation with a pharmacist).
Sources:
- www.independent.co.uk, “Superdrug reduces price of morning after pill following Boots’ cost drop”, 4th February 2022
- www.independent.co.uk, “Boots lowers price of morning after pill and ends ‘grossly sexist surcharge’”, 3rd February 2022
- https://inews.co.uk, “Boots cuts price of emergency contraception to £10 as it ends ‘grossly sexist surcharge’ on morning-after pill”, 3rd February 2022
- www.bpas.org, “Boots ‘ends grossly sexist surcharge’ and lowers the price of emergency contraception following years of campaigning by charities and MPs”, 3rd February 2022