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Did you know that March 21, 2006, is Back Up Your Birth Control Day? More than 100 national and local medical organizations and women’s health advocacy groups are uniting to educate women, pharmacists, and health care providers about emergency contraception (EC). Also known as the “morning-after pill” or Plan B, EC is a safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or birth control failure. It can be taken up to 5 days after sex, but is more effective the sooner it is taken. EC contains the same hormones as birth control pills and WILL NOT cause an abortion — EC is NOT RU-486 and will not interrupt an already established pregnancy. Pharmacists are a critical link between EC and the women who need it. Women turn to pharmacists for information and services about this back-up birth control method. Pharmacists are providing EC directly to women in eight states (AK, CA, HI, MA, ME, NH, NM, and WA). Three more states have introduced legislation this year to allow pharmacists to be more involved in the provision of EC. This year’s Back Up Your Birth Control Day is specifically targeted towards making EC more accessible through pharmacies. On or around Back Up Your Birth Control Day, March 21, 2006, activists across the country will visit retail pharmacies to talk to pharmacists about EC and to let them know how critical pharmacists are in helping women obtain this important method of contraception. Here are a few things pharmacists can do to help:
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