Pharmacists' knowledge of emergency contraception: A secret-shopper telephone survey among New York City pharmacists

BACKGROUND: Given Plan B's widespread availability and over-the-counter (OTC) status as a form of emergency contraception (EC), patients are more likely to seek the counsel of pharmacists regarding its use. However, some studies conducted before Plan B achieved OTC status revealed gaps in pharmacists' knowledge of Plan B in terms of how it works and the timing of treatment for it to be effective, as well as misconceptions about EC's link to birth defects and health risks. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to measure the proportion of pharmacists in NYC who provide accurate information regarding dosage, adverse side effects, mechanism of action, and medical contraindications. STUDY DESIGN: An anonymous telephone survey was conducted among a stratified random sample of 303 pharmacists in NYC. Calls were made by a research assistant who posed as a 21-year old female in need of more information of Plan B. RESULTS: We will analyze the data by comparing proportions of pharmacists who demonstrate a critical level of knowledge of Plan B by gender of pharmacist, borough, and chain versus non-chain pharmacy. CONCLUSIONS: The study results will highlight areas of knowledge, if any, in which pharmacists are deficient. Inaccurate information regarding Plan B can be an important barrier to timely and proper use of EC. The results of this study will help inform interventions to reduce barriers to EC at the pharmacy level.