WOMEN in the US are to be offered free birth control following a mandate passed by the Department of Health and Human Services. From August 2012, insurance companies will have to offer women full coverage for a range of health services, including screening for diabetes and HIV, and birth control. Currently women have to pay at least part of the cost.

While the move has been welcomed by many as an important step toward healthcare equality for women, religious groups are critical of the plans to support birth-control measures, particularly for drugs such as ulipristal acetate, an emergency contraceptive which can be used up to five days after sex.

A representative from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has said: “The pro-life majority of Americans would be outraged to learn that their premiums must be used for this purpose.” But Maryland senator, Barbara Mikulski, described the mandate as “one step closer to ending the era when simply being a woman is treated as a pre-existing condition”.