Laws Relating To Contraceptive Sales In Nt Raise Concerns

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Article Date: 10 May 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia expressed concerns over laws in the Northern Territory requiring pharmacists to report sales of contraceptive items and possibly pregnancy tests to people under the age of 16.

Under the laws, which have been in place for some months but which the Government has only just ordered health workers to comply with, sexual activity among people under the age of 16 must be reported to a team that includes police and staff in the Northern Territory's Department of Health and Families.

The laws apply to any person under the age of 16 who is sexually active, regardless of the age of that person's sexual partner or if the activity is consensual.

Acting President of the PSA, Dr Shane Jackson, said the laws raised issues of public health and privacy.

"Our concern is that these laws could act as deterrent to young people seeking to act responsibly in relation to their sexual activities," Dr Jackson said.

"The Government is clearly using underage sexual activity as a marker for sexual abuse and this is absolutely the wrong approach.

"There is little doubt the laws will have a negative social impact in that these people may not access appropriate measures for contraception and reduction of STDs for fear of being reported to the authorities."

Dr Jackson said the Northern Territory had among the highest rate of sexually transmitted disease in Australia and any moves which might deter young people from using contraceptives were counter-productive.

"There is also the question of the laws forcing pharmacists and other health workers to break patient confidentiality or risk fines of up to $20,000," Dr Jackson said.

"Patients put a very high value of the accessibility and confidentially of their visits to the pharmacist and these laws threaten to undermine one of the foundations on which this accessible and confidential health care is made available to all Australians.

"The PSA fully supports the Northern Territory's commitment to reducing harm to children but feels this measure may in the long term create more problems than it seeks to address. "The PSA has a wealth of expertise on hand and is more than happy to sit down with the NT Government to help amend the legislation to ensure it is workable and efficacious."

Source
Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

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