Now you can buy pills to delay your PERIOD on the high street: Superdrug announces it will offer norethisterone to women in store
- Norethisterone is still classified as a prescription-only medicine by officials
- This means women will not simply be able to walk in and pick it up of a shelf
- Instead, shoppers will need to have a consultation with the on-site pharmacist
- The high street retailer said the move was in respond to demand from women
Superdrug has today announced it will begin offering a period delaying pills at all of its stores in Britain with pharmacies.
Norethisterone is still classified as a prescription-only medicine, meaning women will not be able to walk in and pick it up of a shelf.
Instead, women seeking the pills at the high street chain will need a consultation with the on-site pharmacist before they can walk away with it.
Superdrug has announced it will begin offering norethisterone at all of its stores in Britain with pharmacies as of today
The high street retailer said it was responding to demand from women who want more choice when it comes to their bodies.
Superdrug already sells norethisterone through its online doctor service, alongside its competitors Boots and LloydsPharmacy.
However, women opting to get the pill online – whose requests have to be reviewed by a doctor – can not get in straight away.
Women seeking the pills in a Superdrug store have to fill out a questionnaire and have a consultation with a pharmacist. They must be over 18.
If successful, the pharmacists in the stores, who all have the ability to prescribe, will then issue a prescription and immediately dole out the pills.
The pills cost £29.00 for a 10-day supply.
Norethisterone needs to be taken three days before the expected period begins – it delays menstruation until three days after the last tablet.
Michael Henry, Superdrug’s healthcare director said: ‘We continue to look for ways to bring accessible healthcare to our customers on the high street.
Superdrug already sells norethisterone through its online doctor service, alongside its competitors Boots and LloydsPharmacy
Dr Pixie McKenna, Superdrug’s Health Ambassador, said: ‘The Period Delay Pill offers women more choice when it comes to their periods.’
However, the NHS warns taking norethisterone tablets to delay your period will not protect you against pregnancy because it is not a contraceptive.
Women who take a combined contraceptive pill can delay their period by skipping the one-week pill break at the end of the three week course.
Instead of taking the seven day break, they need to start a new pack straight away – delaying their period until the end of those pills.
Norethisterone is the synthetic version of a sex hormone which naturally occurs in the human body.
It belongs to a group of hormones called progestogens, which are also found in mini pills and combined contraceptive pills.
Norethisterone does have side effects, including heart palpitations, bloating, tender breasts and nausea, according to the packaging.
In rare cases, it can also raise the risk of life-threatening deep vein thrombosis, which can result in a stroke or blood clot in the lungs.