Govt unaware of antipregnancy pill

JAKARTA (JP): The government is unaware of the existence of pills which can effectively prevent pregnancy if they are taken within 72 hours after unprotected intercourse.

The morning-after pills were introduced as an emergency contraceptive in 1998 by the National Family Planning Board (BKKBN).

"My office has yet to allow the sale of these pills," Director General for Drug and Food Control Sampurno told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday, noting that the pill might have a social impact.

Sampurno said his office was processing the registration of the drug, and insisted that no decision was yet to be made on the eligibility of the pills for marketing.

"We are consulting ulemas because this is a very sensitive matter. It (the drug) is prone to misuse, especially by unmarried couples," he said.

The morning-after pill is an oral drug used to prevent pregnancy if taken less then 72 hours after unprotected sex. Tests show that the drug has a failure rate of only 2 percent. Repeated usage, however, decreases its effectiveness.

Sampurno acknowledged that BKKBN prescribed the pill as an unofficial means of family planning.

"We do not know about the effectiveness of these pills, even though they are proven successful in preventing pregnancies in many foreign countries," he added.

However, an obstetric gynecologist urged the government to let the pills go public because of their benefit.

"Many doctors and midwives are aware of the emergency contraception as the pills are able to prevent thousands of unwanted pregnancies," the chairman of the Indonesian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecologists, Biran Affandy, said on Wednesday.

In a discussion on reproductive health, Biran said there were misunderstandings among practitioners that the pills cause abortions, despite the fact that they are on the World Health Organization's list of essential drugs.

"Some doctors are quite afraid that the pill might be misused by teenagers or unmarried couples," he added.

He said the pills were standardized medical treatment for victims of sexual abuse. In those cases, the pill is administered within 72 hours after the incident with another dosage following in the next 12 hours.

Side effects of the pills include nausea, which can cause vomiting and headaches, and a disrupted menstruation period. (dja)