What to do if Your Pharmacy Won’t Give You Birth Control Pills or Emergency Contraception (the “Morning-After Pill”)
By National Women's Law Center
Have you ever asked a pharmacist to fill a prescription for you – and he refused? Sounds strange, right? Sadly, some women have had that experience. In states across the country, some pharmacists have refused to fill women’s prescriptions for birth control or emergency contraception (also known as the “morning-after pill” or EC). These refusals are based on those pharmacists’ personal beliefs, not on medical or professional concerns. To make matters worse, the same pharmacists who refuse to give women contraception often refuse to let another pharmacist fill her prescription or refer her to another pharmacy. These refusals are not only unprofessional, but they can also have severe health consequences for women!
Refusing to provide EC is especially damaging, since EC is an extremely time-sensitive drug that only works up to 120 hours after unprotected sex, birth control failure or sexual assault (and the sooner you use it, the better!). You might have heard that the FDA recently approved EC for “over-the-counter” status, but EC isn’t “over-the-counter” in the same way that aspirin and cough drops are. In this context, “over-the-counter” just means that you don’t need a doctor’s prescription to get EC (if you’re 18 or older), but you still have to ask a pharmacist for EC and show valid photo ID. So, even if you don’t need a prescription to get EC, you may have to interact with pharmacists or other pharmacy staff that have strong personal beliefs against providing this important medication.
Reading this fact sheet is an important first step towards protecting yourself against pharmacy refusals!
If your pharmacist refused to give you EC or regular contraceptives, contact the National Women’s Law Center at 1-866-PILL-4-US.
We may be able to help you with:
• Filing a complaint against the pharmacist or pharmacy with your state pharmacy board
• Getting local advocates’ support to encourage the pharmacy to correct the problem
• Getting local media to publicize the refusal and educate the public about the issue
• Securing policies in your state or at the pharmacy to make sure women get the care they need
| "Do you actually believe that all women who get pregnant had unprotected sex? Umm maybe you don't know this but birth control isn't exactly 100% effective, not even the pill," insists 3rdeyecure . |
• If you are under 18 and need a prescription for EC, go to http://www.not-2-late.com or call 1-888-NOT-2-LATE for providers that will write you a prescription for EC. Also, if you are under 18 and live in AK, CA, HI, MA, ME, NH, NM, VT or WA, you can get EC directly from some pharmacists that have undergone a special training. The website http://www.EC-Help.org has more information and can help you locate a participating pharmacist.
• If you already have a prescription for EC, or if you are 18 and older and are having problems finding nonprescription EC, call 1-800-NOT-2-LATE to find out where EC is available in your area. They can also tell you whether your state has a hotline you can call to have EC express delivered.
• Many Planned Parenthood clinics also have phone or e-mail services. Call 1-800-230-PLAN for one near you.
• (Please note that you may have to pay for some of these services).
Take action now so that you don’t have to worry about facing a pharmacy refusal at a critical moment!
• Use the resources listed above right now so that you already have EC in your medicine cabinet when you need it. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that women get ECin advance – ask your doctor about EC during a routine appointment, purchase EC at a pharmacy now, or get an advance prescription and then purchase EC! See http://ec.princeton.edu/questions/ecbefore.html for more information.
• If your insurance plan has a prescription mail service, use it to fill your prescriptions for birth control and EC.
• Ask in advance if your local drug store allows pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions for any reason so you know where to go before an emergency happens. Also, talk to your other health care providers in advance about whether they will provide you with the information and services you need. See www.nwlc.org/pdf/ASKBrochureAugust2004.pdf to find out what questions to ask.
• National Women's Law Center
• Contraception: Not a Matter of Conscience
• Facts: Contraception
• A Modern Feminist's Take on Sex, College and Religion
