Easier access to birth control finally on its way

In what may seem like a long-overdue win for most women, birth control – including the pill, the ring and the patch – will be available without the need of a doctor’s prescription in Oregon, and California is set to follow soon.

This change can result in a number of benefits for communities where accessibility to health care services is known to be a concern, such as the Central Valley.

Instead of going through a physician, women in Oregon can fill out a questionnaire and meet with a pharmacist to determine which method will work best.

As explained by a Jan. 4 New York Times article, about 200 pharmacists of major chain pharmacies such as Rite-Aid, Walgreens and others have completed training and may prescribe appropriate contraception. California passed a similar law in 2013, but implementation has been delayed while authorities work to establish guidelines for pharmacists.

Pedro Elias, public affairs director at Planned Parenthood Mar Monte in Fresno, explained that easier access to contraception can help reduce unwanted pregnancies and abortions. That is because being able to obtain birth control with one stop to the pharmacy makes the process faster and easier, he said.

“It’s really going to make a significant difference,” Elias said. “This will help provide a positive lifestyle.”

Of the approximately 8 million women of reproductive age in California, Planned Parenthood provides contraception to about 800,000, Elias said. It also provides a number of other services, including screening for sexually transmitted infections.

Critics of the new law question whether women who choose to go straight to a pharmacist will overlook other basic medical care because they are forgoing a doctor’s visit.

According to text from the California bill, pharmacists are to provide a patient with referral or information to other health care professionals.

“We see it as win-win,” Elias said. “In order for pharmacists to dispense contraception, they must provide (the patient) with information to a health center or primary-care provider, if they don’t have one.”

Elias said Planned Parenthood is working to make sure pharmacists include Planned Parenthood in their list of community health centers available for referral.

The law is especially good news for women who face barriers such as transportation. Instead of going from a clinic or doctor’s office to a pharmacy, stopping only by the pharmacy will save time. This can also bring relief to areas with provider shortages, and areas where women may have to wait weeks to get a visit with their doctor.

As reported by Reuters Health, in 2012, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists published a statement in which they recommended that birth control be available over the counter.

In a study by the nonprofit Ibis Reproductive Health, included in the Reuters report, researchers surveyed about 2,000 women ages 18 to 44. The study found that about two-thirds of women favored over-the-counter access to birth control.

However, it is important to note that the new laws do not make the pill or any other types of contraceptive an over-the-counter product. As the Times explained, making birth control available over the counter would require approval from the Food and Drug Administration, which could take a long time.

The law in Oregon requires women to be 18 or older to obtain birth control from a pharmacist. Women under 18 must still get their first prescription from their doctor. California’s law does not have an age restriction.

In California, the new law will also allow pharmacists to prescribe nicotine patches and certain medications for travel abroad. An exact date on California’s implementation of the law is not yet known.

This story was originally published January 8, 2016 at 6:08 PM with the headline "Easier access to birth control finally on its way."