Rapid responses are electronic comments to the editor. They enable our users
to debate issues raised in articles published on bmj.com. A rapid response
is first posted online. If you need the URL (web address) of an individual
response, simply click on the response headline and copy the URL from the
browser window. A proportion of responses will, after editing, be published
online and in the print journal as letters, which are indexed in PubMed.
Rapid responses are not indexed in PubMed and they are not journal articles.
The BMJ reserves the right to remove responses which are being
wilfully misrepresented as published articles or when it is brought to our
attention that a response spreads misinformation.
From March 2022, the word limit for rapid responses will be 600 words not
including references and author details. We will no longer post responses
that exceed this limit.
The word limit for letters selected from posted responses remains 300 words.
This paper is reassuring, and confirms the clinical impression of
many of us working in contraceptive services.
However, the assumption seems to have been made that all EHC
(Emergency Hormonal Contraception) obtained from pharmacies is purchased.
This is not so, in many areas community pharmacists have been trained to
supply free EHC to a patient group direction , and this is a valuable
service for women who cannot afford the standard charge. In Lambeth,
Southwark and Lewisham this is now the main route of supply of EHC.
Could future work please differentiate between the 2 pharmacy routes
of supply?
Not all EHC obtained from pharmacies is purchased
This paper is reassuring, and confirms the clinical impression of
many of us working in contraceptive services.
However, the assumption seems to have been made that all EHC
(Emergency Hormonal Contraception) obtained from pharmacies is purchased.
This is not so, in many areas community pharmacists have been trained to
supply free EHC to a patient group direction , and this is a valuable
service for women who cannot afford the standard charge. In Lambeth,
Southwark and Lewisham this is now the main route of supply of EHC.
Could future work please differentiate between the 2 pharmacy routes
of supply?
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests