The Unintended Pregnancy Prevention Act
UNINTENDED PREGNANCY PREVENTION ACT
(A.5569, Paulin/S.3579, Winner)
The Unintended Pregnancy Prevention Act would permit direct distribution of emergency contraception (EC) by trained pharmacists and registered nurses under a non-patient specific, standing-order issued by a licensed prescriber (physician, nurse practitioner or midwife).
Pharmacies are often open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and are located in most rural and urban areas.
Through direct pharmacy access, women could have timely access to EC and avoid incurring expenses from medical visits, distinctly benefiting uninsured women or those living in medically underserved areas.
A New York State Comptroller’s Office report estimated that increased access to EC could prevent 122,000 unintended pregnancies and 82,000 abortions each year in New York State.
The same report estimated that increased access to EC could save New York State $395 million to $452 million annually.
Eight states – Alaska, California, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Washington already allow women to obtain EC directly from a trained pharmacist.
Statewide, almost 100 health care professionals, public health groups and community-based organizations support expanding access to EC via the Unintended Pregnancy Prevention Act.
Nationwide, leading medical organizations, such as the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists overwhelmingly support improved access to EC, stating EC is so safe that it should be made available over-the-counter to all women, regardless of age.
Emergency contraception is an FDA-approved, back-up birth control method that prevents pregnancy five days (120 hours) after unprotected sex, birth control failure or sexual assault.
Containing a concentrated dosage of the progestin hormone found in daily birth control pills, EC reduces the risk of pregnancy by up to 89 percent when taken within 72 hours - and the sooner a woman takes it, the better it works.
EC gives women a safe, effective second chance to prevent pregnancy
Women who have emergency contraception on hand are more likely to use it.
Teen and adult women do not engage in more risky sexual behavior or have higher rates of sexually transmitted infections when they have emergency contraception on hand.
To make a real difference, women need to be able to get EC quickly. Requiring a prescription is not only medically unjustified, it is also a known barrier to getting emergency contraception in time.
|
