The Pharmacy Guild of Australia says an interim decision by the medical regulator to block the contraceptive pill being sold over the counter at pharmacies is "patronising", but the move has been welcomed by the Australian Medical Association (AMA).

Two applications were made to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) asking it to consider moving some of the ingredients found in the pill into a category where they could legally be sold at pharmacies.

At the moment, women have to see their GP when their prescriptions run out and the pill can only be sold to people with current scripts.

Under the proposals put to the TGA, the pill would only be sold in certain circumstances where a woman could prove she had been prescribed the same pill within the last two years.

It also said the pharmacist could determine, after a consultation, whether it was still the right contraceptive choice and refer the woman back to their prescribing GP if needed.

In its interim decision published at the end of September, the TGA said the risks of allowing the pill to be sold over the counter outweighed the potential benefits.

"The use of oral contraceptive pills can cause significant adverse effects that are not consistent with over the counter medicines," it said.

Natalie Willis from the Pharmacy Guild said allowing pharmacies to sell the pill in certain situations would take the pressure off GPs and increase its accessibility for women.

Ms Willis also described the TGA's decision as "patronising" and "a tad insulting" to women and pharmacists.

"It's saying exactly that about women that they're not intelligent or informed enough to make these decisions on their own behalf and ask questions where they need to," she said.

"And it's saying the same thing about pharmacists, that we're not appropriately trained and qualified to be able to ask and answer those questions ourselves, to make sure a medication is appropriate to someone we're supplying it to.

"In both instances, that point of view is ridiculous."

But the AMA argued pharmacists were not the right people and pharmacies not the right place to be giving women advice on the pill.

In a statement, AMA president Dr Omar Khorshid said doctors were best placed to help women choose which contraceptive pill is right and safe for them.

"Retail pharmacies are not appropriate private clinical settings for anyone to monitor and manage their contraceptive health, or to discuss details of sexual health and medical history," he said.

"Taking the oral contraceptive pill is not without risks, and people need to talk to their GP about which contraceptive option is right for them.

"It can take a long time to determine which contraceptive pill is appropriate, and this is best done under the advice of a doctor."

Submissions on the TGA's interim decision can be made up until November 1.