AS a pharmacist I feel duty bound to respond to the letter concerning Emergency Hormonal Contraception (the 'morning after pill') from a 'concerned parent' (Dear Star, February 8).

I do not wish to argue about moral and ethical issues, but I feel I must object to some of the points made in the letter.

'Concerned parent' was worried about chemists selling the pills to "girls as young as 11". EHC is currently only licensed for sale to women aged 16 and over. If there is any doubt at all that the potential user of the pill is under 16, the patient in question will be referred to a doctor. In any case, doctors have been prescribing EHC to the under-16 age group for years without any public outcry.

Emergency Hormonal Contraception does not cause abortion if taken when already pregnant, although obviously this is not recommended. The pills prevent pregnancy from occurring in various ways, which will be explained to potential purchasers. They certainly do not "kill the baby". Emotive language like this has no place in the responsible provision of contraception.

May I assure 'concerned parent' that I (along with all the other pharmacists who have attended training programmes on the subject, and who have been supplying this product on prescription for some time) am fully aware of the effects of this drug, and that the "physical and psychological consequences" of taking it are considerably less than those of an unwanted pregnancy.

Finally, I would like to invite any parent with concerns as to the safety and use of these pills to call in to their local chemist for a chat with the pharmacist which would help to dispel any misconceptions which that letter may have created or reinforced.

Parents have an extremely important role in preventing pregnancies in young people and effective communication with their children about contraception is one of the best ways of ensuring that they do not need to use this product at all.

INFORMED pharmacist (name and address supplied).