In the past several years, there have been numerous new emergency contraception (EC) products and changes in regulations, such as restricting access based on age or checking identification. As a result, pharmacies are often unable to keep up with the latest products and changes. This has led to misinformation and refusals by community pharmacists, most commonly related to the window for use after unprotected intercourse and age or gender restrictions.

A new concise and comprehensive guide on EC product availability and access has been developed to serve as an easy reference to stay current on access issues and available products. The guide, Emergency Contraception: A Guide for Pharmacies and Retailers, is intended for use as a reference for pharmacists as well as for pharmacy or store management and staff.

The guide is updated when needed and can be found on the American Society for Emergency Contraception (ASEC) website: http://americansocietyforec.org/uploads/3/2/7/0/3270267/pharmacy_ec_access_overview.pdf. The guide is also available in Spanish: http://americansocietyforec.org/uploads/3/2/7/0/3270267/pharmacy_ec_access_overview_spanish.pdf.

Pharmacies are encouraged to stock EC products and make them available on over-the-counter shelves to minimize barriers to access. Pharmacists can help provide evidence-based counseling on medications and make referrals for more effective methods of contraception and sexually transmitted infection screening and treatment. Please see specific state laws regarding refusals for personal objections (overview by Guttmacher Institute): http://www.guttmacher.org/statecenter/spibs/spib_EC.pdf.

The guide was developed by ASEC in collaboration with the ACCP Women’s Health PRN and the Reproductive Health Technologies Project. For more information, contact Sally Rafie, Pharm.D., BCPS ([email protected]).