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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Lois J. Uttley, MPP and Reena E. Singh, MPA. MergerWatch Project, PO Box 540, JAF Station, New York, NY 10016, 212-261-4314, Lois@mergerwatch.org

The continuing refusal of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve non-prescription sale of Plan B emergency contraception (EC) has frustrated attempts to dramatically increase women's access to this safe and effective method of preventing unintended pregnancy. By contrast, 40 other nations have approved sale of EC without requiring the patient to first obtain a prescription. Another obstacle emerging in the U.S. is the refusal of some pharmacists to fill EC prescriptions for moral reasons.

This presentation will cover four main categories of policy initiatives underway to surmount the obstacles to universal EC access: 1) litigation and legislation on the federal level to force an FDA decision on the Plan B application or affirmatively shift Plan B to non-prescription status; 2) state initiatives to permit pharmacist initiation of EC prescribing and direct dispensing of EC, often under so-called collaborative practice arrangements with physicians; 3) special efforts to address the needs of rape victims through proposed state and federal legislation to require all hospital emergency departments to offer EC to survivors of sexual assault; and 4) proposed measures to prevent pharmacist refusals from interfering with women's ability to have prescriptions for EC filled at local pharmacies. The authors will present data on the numbers of such initiatives in the four categories and the results of advocacy to date.

The presentation will review APHA policies on access to emergency contraception (#2003-15 and 2003-16) and describe opportunities for APHA members to become involved in advocating for increased access to EC.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to

• Articulate the reasons why reproductive health advocates are pressing for FDA approval of non-prescription sale of Plan B emergency and describe the methods being used to press the FDA for a positive decision;
• Compare U.S. policy on EC provision to those in 40 other countries; 3.Describe federal and state policy initiatives being used to increase access to EC in the absence of an FDA decision; 4.Articulate official APHA policy on consumer access to EC.

Keywords: Advocacy, Contraceptives

Related Web page: www.mergerwatch.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation