Members’ work in focus: improving trans patient access to the morning-after pill

Working alongside colleagues from the board community pharmacy team and health improvement team, Nathan (Regional Member for Scotland) pushed ahead with reforming clinical guidance issued to community pharmacists to improve trans patient access to Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC).

Having heard about the barriers and lack of joined-up healthcare that trans people face on a routine basis, there was a motivation to make one aspect of that care easier. Trans men can become pregnant alongside those who are non-binary or gender non-comforming if they are physiologically capable. Outward appearance should be no barrier to accessing the morning-after pill and in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area in community pharmacies this is now explicitly allowed. The underpinning board Patient Group Direction (PGD) for levonorgestrel has also been modified to remove references to genders and pronouns, again simplifying the process and making it easier for pharmacists to do the right thing.

The morning after pill does not interact with gender-affirming hormone treatment although a pregnancy test may be required as menstruation may not be regular. Refer to product Summary of Product Characteristics for full prescribing information.

For further questions or enquiries Nathan can be reached on Twitter.