The Columbian high court has ratified a government health agency’s authorization allowing importation and distribution of emergency contraception (EC) within the country. The authorization was legally challenged by a citizen who argued that EC is an abortifacient device and violates Columbians’ right to life. The court ruled against these arguments.
EC is available in Columbia with a prescription. EC is a single dose medication that prevents pregnancy when taken within 120 hours of unprotected sex. The World Health Organization has rejected the argument that EC is a form of abortion because it is not effective if administered “once the process of implantation has begun” and has no effect on a woman’s uterine lining at this point.
