Starting today, anyone in Catalonia who has their period will be able to purchase menstrual products for free at any pharmacy by showing a code that they will receive in the La Meva Salut app. The options that can be chosen are a menstrual cup, menstrual panties or a pair of cloth pads.
An individual and non-transferable QR code must be presented, which is active as of this Monday and accessible until 2025. Once the product is removed from the pharmacy, it will be deactivated.
Once you have accessed your La Meva Salut account, the QR code appears in the News section: My rule, my rules, which is located at the end of the main menu interface. The Generalitat warns that if you use the app, it must be updated for this new section to appear.
If the code does not appear, in the section itself there is a link to a Generalitat form where you can report the error. In any case, 061 Salut Responds has been enabled as a means of communication to resolve doubts about this project.
The menstrual cup is a container made of 100% hypoallergenic silicone that is inserted into the vagina during the period to collect the menstrual flow inside. Thanks to its format, it generates a vacuum effect that makes the cup adapt to the vaginal walls and remain completely immobile, allowing freedom of up to 12 hours.
Although the use of the cup is an improvement for those who use it compared to disposable products, GlupCup!, a company that markets menstrual cups, estimates that less than 10% of menstruating people use it. These are some of its advantages, according to this company:
They are a type of underwear made with various types of fabrics capable of absorbing menstrual flow without leaks and without the person wearing it feeling wet.
They are made with more ecological raw materials than those for daily use. Therefore, it is understood that its use is beneficial for both health and the environment as it is considered a more sustainable option.
Most have a durability of 12 hours, and when you start to notice some humidity they should be changed. In the long term, they have a useful life of about 2 years.
Cloth pads are designed to absorb menstruation, but also urine leakage or even vaginal discharge. The fundamental difference with conventional pads – which include plastic in their composition – is that they are made with cotton, so they are reusable.
This allows them to be washed and reused for years after each use, saving thousands of non-recyclable and highly polluting waste for the planet. In addition, they are much more respectful and healthy for the skin, as they do not include chemicals or toxins.
