Japan May Permit Sales Of OCs

Japan's Minister of Health and Welfare, Naoto Kan, has said the Central Pharmaceutical Affairs Council is studying whether to allow open sales of birth control pills in 1997, and is working in the direction of lifting the long-imposed ban. "There are increasing calls for allowing people to decide whether to use the pill or not on their own," he added.

Japan initially banned the pill because of safety and side effects questions, and also on the grounds that it would lower sexual morals. In 1988, the MHW issued guidelines for its sale and was expected to end the ban in summer 1992, but the plan was dropped because of the increasing number of people contracting HIV through sexual intercourse between men and women. To counter strong objections from those who still fear the spread of AIDS, the Council is considering labeling oral contraceptives packaging to warn women of the danger of contracting the AIDS virus.

In 1990, drug firms began applying to import and produce the pill in Japan; at least nine firms have applied so far. For Japanese women who want oral contraceptives, doctors now prescribe menstrual disorder treatments; industry sources say about 200,000 women use this method.