Some healthcare workers ill-informed about emergency pill
Plan B, an emergency contraceptive that can prevent unintended
pregnancy, has been available over the counter for a little more
than a year. It is available locally from a number of sources, but
there is still some confusion about its availability and age
requirements, even among healthcare providers.
Some healthcare workers ill-informed about emergency pill
Plan B, an emergency contraceptive that can prevent unintended pregnancy, has been available over the counter for a little more than a year. It is available locally from a number of sources, but there is still some confusion about its availability and age requirements, even among healthcare providers.
The Emergency Contraception Education Act of 2007, if passed, would direct the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a public education program to increase awareness about Plan B, according to a press release from Senator Barbara Boxer.
The Act would provide for the education of healthcare providers as well as the general public.
Anyone can buy the drug from Planned Parenthood in Hollister, said Buu Thai, public affairs director for Planed Parenthood Mar Monte. The clinic in Hollister opened within the last year.
Patients under 18 can make an appointment with the clinic. At the clinic they can get a prescription for the drug and purchase it on site.
Planned Parenthood staff provides their patients with information about Plan B on a regular basis.
“By the time they leave our clinic, they are aware that this is an option for them,” Thai said.
Planned Parenthood staff has seen an increase in the number of men who purchase Plan B for their girlfriends. This is proof that their education program is working, Thai said.
Planned Parenthood in Hollister also offers basic healthcare, such as pap smears and HIV screenings, Thai said.
Last month Planned Parenthood launched a rapid HIV testing program. Patients can get their HIV test results in 10 minutes.
Payment for services is based on a sliding scale, Thai said. The majority of Planned Parenthood’s patients are low income, with services paid for through Medi-Cal.
Eligibility for Medi-Cal is based on income. In San Benito County people can apply for the program through the county. Planned Parenthood in Hollister provides information on how to apply.
Not all of Hollister’s healthcare workers are aware of laws regarding Plan B and its availability.
The drug is available over the counter to customers 18 and older. It is prescription only for customers 17 and younger. Purchase requires government-issued identification.
A pharmacist at Nob Hill, Mary White, was not sure if Plan B is available over-the counter and was not familiar with the laws.
She originally said the pill was only available by prescription, but when asked again said she thought two or three pharmacists could distribute it.
Shahid Rana, a pharmacist at Rite Aid, was not sure if the age requirement for purchasing Plan B was 17 or 18.
“I think it’s 17,” he said.
Specially-trained pharmacists can write a prescription for Plan B, according to the Pharmacy Access Partnership Web site.
People under 18 can call their local pharmacy to find out which pharmacist, if any, can provide a prescription for the drug. Bob Poelker, a pharmacist at Sav-on in Hollister, is the only pharmacist at the store who can write a prescription for Plan B.
Plan B retails for $48 from the Sav-On pharmacy in Hollister.
Although Plan B is available over the counter, hospitals are important providers, said Teresa Harrison, senior project manager for Ibis Reproductive Health. Ibis is a reproductive research organization.
“The hospital tends to be the first point of contact for sexual assault victims,” Harrison said.
Ben Shaver, director of the emergency department at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, agreed.
“When we see it in the emergency room,” Shaver said, referring to women under 18 who need Plan B, “it is typically a rape scenario.”
The hospital pharmacy does not carry Plan B anymore, said Frankie Arballo, director of marketing and public relations for Hazel Hawkins. Women who need Plan B are given referrals for another pharmacy.
Planned Parenthood encourages every woman to keep a Plan B kit in her house for emergencies, Thai said.
“I think every woman should have one in her cabinet just in case her regular birth control fails,” Thai said, referring to a Plan B kit. “Every pregnancy should be planned.”
