Cardinal Kikuchi Isao of Tokyo has spoken out against the recent decision to make an emergency contraceptive pill available over the counter without a prescription. Japan’s leading drug manufacturer, Aska Pharmaceutical, announced on October 20 that its “morning-after pill” Norlevo would soon be sold over the counter across the country.
Cardinal Kikuchi told UCA News he “cannot approve measures that may take human life without adequate moral education,” although “many view the decision as part of efforts to safeguard women’s health and dignity.” The prelate asserted that “from the Catholic standpoint, life is a gift from God.”
According to the pharma company, women of any age can buy the pill to prevent an unwanted pregnancy if taken within 72 hours. However, the pill must be taken under the supervision of a trained pharmacist to ensure proper use. The World Health Organization has listed emergency contraceptive pills as essential medicines, and it is available without prescription in about 90 countries.
Both the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Japan Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists had opposed OTC approval until now, although discussions had begun in 2017. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan had also opposed Norlevo’s manufacturing and marketing. In a December 2010 statement, the bishops wrote that deliberate abortion brought about by emergency contraceptives contradicted the moral duty to respect human life.