This decision comes amid a contentious debate within Poland regarding access to emergency contraception, a topic that has divided opinion across the nation.
Duda's veto underscores the complex politics surrounding the shaping of healthcare policy in Poland, particularly concerning women's health and autonomy.
The proposed legislation, which had cleared both the Sejm, the lower house of Poland's parliament, and the Senate, the upper house, without amendments, sought to eliminate the requirement for a doctor's prescription for the emergency contraceptive pill ellaOne for individuals over 15 years of age.
Since July 2017, ellaOne has been available in Poland only with a prescription, a policy that the vetoed bill aimed to change.
Duda's decision was influenced by a significant volume of correspondence from concerned parents, and a petition signed by 30,000 people urging him to veto the bill, his aides said.
Duda also met with female lawmakers from the Left before making his decision, indicating a willingness to consider changes for women over 18 years of age, but maintaining that the availability of such medication to minors without a prescription posed an unacceptable risk.
In response to the veto, Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna announced a "Plan B," stating that from May 1, ellaOne would be available through a pharmaceutical prescription, bypassing the need for a doctor's visit.
This adjustment is intended to be implemented through a ministerial regulation, reflecting ongoing consultations with pharmacists and the Chamber of Pharmacists.
The discussion around the bill has revealed a spectrum of opinions.
Supporters, including lower-house Speaker Szymon Hołownia and Marcelina Zawisza, deputy chairwoman of the parliamentary Health Committee, argued that emergency contraception should be widely accessible to address urgent needs and support individuals in difficult situations.
Conversely, the Polish Episcopal Conference, represented by spokesman Fr. Leszek Gęsiak, opposes such measures, arguing that they inherently threaten life from the moment of conception.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP