New medication effective up to five days after sex
EllaOne, a new “morning after” pill available in Europe that is effective up to five days after a woman has had sex, has triggered controversy in England over concern the extra safety net it provides will result in a greater incidence of STDs and give women “a false sense of security,” the Telegraph reports. The debate comes on the heels of a report published Friday in the British medical journal, The Lancet, that claims ellaOne is more effective than Levonorgestrel, or Plan B, the emergency contraceptive pill available in 140 countries, including Canada. The study found that women who took ellaOne within five days after sex almost halved their chances of becoming pregnant compared to women who took Plan B, which is effective only if women take it within three days of having sex. Currently, the drug is licensed for sale only with a prescription, but ellaOne will become available over-the-counter in the next two to three years.