The newly published Journal includes a number of articles related to abortion: a book review; a commentary on medical abortion in Ethiopia – for which there is also a podcast; an Israeli view of the status of a foetus; HIV testing in clinics and repeat attendance in Britain.
In addition there is a profile of FIAPAC, the international organisation for abortion providers who have their next biennial Congress in Edinburgh in October 2012.
In Letters to the Editor there is continuing correspondence discussing the emotive subject of the use of cervical analgesia for IUD/IUS fitting which seems to have polarised opinion more than any other issue for some time.
The printed journal was accompanied by the most recently published Faculty Guidance on Emergency Contraception (2011), available electronically from: http://www.fsrh.org/pdfs/CEUguidanceEmergencyContraception11.pdf. This updates the previous guidance from 2006, includes the new oral preparation, ulipristal acetate, a progesterone receptor modulator licensed for use up to 5 days after unprotected sex and refers to the guidance for Quick Starting Contraception (2010) which details how to ‘quick start’ after use of emergency contraception.
This Guidance follows neatly on from the CEU Statement on Missed Pill Recommendations (May 2011), which accompanied the last edition of the Journal which also included a commentary by Dr Diana Mansour; Revision of the ‘missed pill’ rules, which details the background to the changes. The statement was published after the MHRA asked the Faculty Clinical Effectiveness Unit to review its previous guidance (2005), with a view to producing harmonised guidance. This the CEU subsequently did and the new guidance has been endorsed and adopted by the MHRA, fpa and BNF although unfortunately not by the pharmaceutical industry.
BNF 62 includes the amended instructions for starting and switching combined hormonal contraception to take into account the above recommendations. Continuing the initiative of working closely with the Clinical Effectiveness Committee the BNF section on Contraception (7.3) is up to date and in line with FSRH guidance. This makes it an accurate resource particularly for GPs and Practice Nurses who use it more than any other group of clinicians.
CD ROMs
The latest Faculty Presidents Newsletter, which also accompanied the print journal, highlights the need for all services and clinicians to dispose of and not use any of the old training CD ROMs for IUDs, implants and EC. Trainees should only use the up-to-date training modules from the e-learning website: www.e-lfh.org.uk.