Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #113844

Belle Taylor-McGhee, Executive Director, Pharmacy Access Partnership, Public Health Institute, 614 Grand Avenue, Suite 324, Oakland, CA 94610, 510-272-0150, btmcghee@phi.org

Despite the rash of media attention given to pharmacists refusing to fill EC prescriptions, the more often untold story is that the pharmacy community in many states is actively getting engaged and stepping up to the plate to provide increased access to EC. Thanks to burgeoning education and training opportunities in several states throughout the country, and the pioneering efforts of Pharmacy Access Partnership in California, EC is currently available directly to consumers in pharmacies in Washington, California, Alaska, New Mexico, Hawaii and Maine. Most of these states have successfully changed their laws to permit direct pharmacy access. In all of these cases, the pharmacy community has been actively involved.

Over the past three years, a total of 15 states have introduced legislation to allow pharmacists to provide EC directly to women. Both efforts at the legislative level and outreach targeted at pharmacists and other providers are essential for increasing awareness and education. Holding pharmacists responsible for providing access to EC, in the absence of promoting information and training, is not only a disservice to the consumer, but an unrealistic expectation of pharmacists.

Learning Objectives:

• At the session’s end, participants will appreciate and understand the importance of creating a political climate conducive to facilitating pharmacy access; identifying and mobilizing interested stakeholders, including the pharmacy community, to implement pharmacy access to EC; and waging a public education awareness campaign targeting media, pharmacists, medical providers, consumers and women’s health advocates.

Keywords: Access to Care, Contraception

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commertial supporters WITH THE EXCEPTION OF I am an employee of the Pharmacy Access Partnership..

Recorded presentation