French Health Minister François Braun announced on Tuesday that the morning-after pill will be free for all women in France, as well as free sexually transmitted infections checks. The minister announced the move in an interview with the French news outlet 20 Minutes.
Women will soon have access to the morning-after pill from pharmacies without a prescription when previously, the contraceptive pill was only free for minors and students over the age of 18.
Braun also announced that free screening for all sexually transmitted infections will be available for everyone up to the age of 26.
'France is lagging behind other European countries'
Improving prevention is key for Braun, who said that "France is lagging behind other European countries," adding that just 2% of France's budget is focused on prevention against 3% of France's neighbours.
"Things have been done in terms of sexual health education in schools, but it is clear that this increase in STIs is real," Braun told 20 Minutes.
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The two proposals will be part of a bill on financing French social security before 2023.
In Belgium, the morning-after pill is not free for all women, but government measures have enabled some brands to sell the pill at less than €1.
