Swedish company Prev. will facilitate Polish women’s access to contraception
A Swedish startup, which offers an app thanks to which female users can receive contraceptives, is expanding its activity and entering Poland. Currently, only 35.2% of women in Poland have regular access to contraception, but thanks to Prev’s solution, these figures may soon change. Now, all it takes is an application on the phone to consult a doctor and order birth control pills after receiving a prescription.
According to the European Contraception Policy Atlas 2020 report, only 35.2% of women have access to contraception in Poland which is the worst result in the entire European Union. Moreover, in the last four years, Poland has been the only country to increase its restrictions on contraception by introducing the requirement of a prescription for emergency contraception, thereby making access to it even more difficult. As the head of the Women’s Rights Centre Foundation comments, although limited access to contraception in Poland has mainly an economic dimension, it affects both low- and middle-income women, who have to cope with medical, social as well as religious conditions.
The Prev. app was initiated by Hannes Lewné, who gained his experience as a doctor working at the Karolinska Institute and in the primary healthcare system in Sweden. The app, which offers users access to doctors, prescriptions, and contraceptives, operates on a subscription model, allowing women to receive a new pack of pills before their previous one runs out. This eliminates the risk of being left without contraception. Also, if the pills get lost, the app offers the possibility of an extra supply with free shipping. The service costs PLN 50 per month and includes prescriptions, pills, and delivery to a given address.
The app, which has been operational since April in several EU countries, is constantly being developed to offer users the most optimal service while ensuring medical safety. Each patient has to fill in a detailed medical questionnaire so that doctors can advise on the use of appropriate products. Only then does the user receive a prescription and the opportunity to place an order. If a woman suffers from certain conditions or is affected by certain risk factors, she is referred to the nearest doctor for examination.
Expansion into the Polish market
The launch of the app in Poland was preceded by numerous tests to show whether the company would be able to provide a high-quality service to Polish users. By establishing cooperation with pharmacies and after it was established that maintaining the highest medical standards would be possible, the company introduced its services in Poland.
According to Hannes Lewne, CEO of Prev., the company is just beginning its expansion and is developing its customer base in each country. He stresses that the startup’s ambitions are higher, and the company’s goal is to increase accessibility, convenience, and safety for every woman who decides to use birth control pills. He adds that such a goal has already been achieved in Poland, as women who use the Prev. platform can already receive contraceptives within 2-3 days. By the end of 2021, the company wants to gain as many customers as possible in Poland.
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