Viera Gallo: Controversy over day-after pill could “contaminate” municipal elections

SANTIAGO.- The presidential secretary general, José Antonio Viera-Gallo has said that the controversy over the day after pill may “contaminate municipal elections” because voters may be swayed by whether the candidates for mayor are for or against the distribution of the controversial drug.

Viera Gallo told Radio ADN that “the municipalities are autonomous.  Some might say, this drug which is allowed, which is legal, can be distributed in doctor’s offices and another mayor, with an different stance can say: not me, I don’t distribute the pill to people, and that could mean that the issue concerning the pill could contaminate the entire municipal election”. 

The minister also added that the ruling issued by the Constitutional Tribunal to prohibit the drug’s distribution in public doctor’s offices is going to spur “an intense legal and medical debate”.

Additionally, Viera-Gallo stated that what is important to most people is that the ruling does not prevent the pill from being sold at pharmacies to customers with a doctor’s prescription.