Polish president vetoes law on free morning-after pill for ages 15 and up

30/3/2024 7:41

        Poland’s President Andrzej Duda on Friday vetoed a law that would have allowed over-the-counter access to the morning-after pill for girls and women ages 15 and above, his office said. Duda said he was concerned about the health of minors and heeding the voices of parents.
        
        A statement by Duda’s office said the president sent the law back to the parliament, but was open to a debate on free access to the hormonal contraception pill for those aged 18 and above.
        
        It said that no convincing arguments were made during the public debate that would justify free access to the pill for girls under age 18.
        
        Last month, parliament approved the law, but it still needed Duda's approval to take effect. The new pro-European Union government had intended the law to be a first step toward a liberalization of Poland’s reproductive regulations that are among Europe’s most restrictive. They were inherited from the previous conservative government whose decisions Duda approved. Those restrictive decisions drew massive street protests.
        
        Duda's veto means that the pill, called ellaOne, which prevents pregnancy and is not an abortion pill, remains available only on prescription.