Medical experts backed moves to reclassify the morning-after pill as over-the-counter medication yesterday, though women's groups expressed varied opinions.
"Past research has shown that the morning-after pill is a safe emergency contraceptive method. In order to allow women to promptly obtain the medication, the pill should be available over the counter so that they don't have to go to the doctor first and delay the [process]," Taipei Medical University Hospital gynecologist Liu Wei-min (
Liu said that the morning-after pill did not induce an abortion, but delayed ovulation, preventing sperm and ova from fertilizing in the womb.
"Taiwan is a country with a high abortion rate, and statistics have shown that countries which promote the use of the morning-after pill have a much lower abortion rate," Liu said.
"If the morning-after pill can be classified as over-the-counter medication, it should prevent more abortions from taking place," Liu said.
Liu was speaking during a public hearing held by Taiwan Solidarity Union whip Lo Chih-ming (羅志明) to discuss the ramifications of reclassifying the medication.
Lo said government statistics showed the birth rate of teenage girls aged 15 to 19 was 1.3 percent, the highest in Asia.
Although women's groups also expressed support for the promotion and use of the morning-after pill, most did not focus on the issue of over-the-counter availability.
"Condoms remain the primary contraceptive method we want to promote, but past polls have shown that 40 percent of teen-agers who are sexually active do not use them during sexual intercourse," said Chi Hui-jung (紀惠容), director of the Garden of Hope Foundation.
"If teenagers do not use condoms during sexual intercourse, it is necessary to promote the use of the morning-after pill to reduce the loss of new lives. The last thing we want to see is teenagers going through with an abortion," she said.
But Sue Huang (
"I fear that the promotion of the morning-after pill will result in teenagers becoming even less willing to use condoms. If they can think of contraceptive matters within 24 hours of having sex, why can't they do so 24 hours beforehand?" Huang said.
"And anyway, the safety of the pill is still in doubt. There is no research available on the effects of the pill for long-term users, and it's not clear that the pill doesn't harm teenagers," she said.
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
RSS