Get Involved

Back Up Your Birth Control (BUYBC) is a national campaign to expand access to EC by increasing EC education and awareness.

2008 BACK UP YOUR BIRTH CONTROL DAY OF ACTION

The Back Up Your Birth Control Campaign Day of Action on March 25, 2008 was a great success! Advocates across the country participated in raising awareness of EC and ensuring that every woman can back up her birth control with EC when and if she needs it. The Day of Action may be over, but there's still much you can do!

FEATURED 2008 BACK UP YOUR BIRTH CONTROL ACTIVITIES

Back Up Your Birth Control is dedicated to making EC available to all women regardless of their income, insurance coverage or immigration status. While we celebrate the FDA decision that made EC available over-the-counter to women 18 and older, we know that the high cost of EC over-the counter, usually between $40-70 in pharmacies nationwide, is a continuing barrier to some women accessing EC.

Making the situation even worse is the fact that many college health centers and safety-net family planning clinics have had to drastically increase the cost of regular birth control methods because of a provision in the Deficit Reduction Act passed in 2005 that eliminated discounts on birth control for these clinics. This means that the four million college-age women across America – along with low-income women who rely on the 400 safety-net family planning clinics – may need to back up their birth control now more than ever before.

This year's campaign will focus on:

  • Raising awareness of the barrier to EC access posed by the high cost of EC over-the-counter
  • Educating women, and teens who can’t access EC OTC, about sources of free and low-cost EC in their communities
  • Encouraging and providing resources for advocates who are working for a resolution of the DRA price increase
  • Highlighting innovative models that advocates and health departments across the country are implementing to help increase access to affordable EC (including free EC days, websites that help women compare EC prices at their area pharmacies, states covering EC OTC under their Medicaid programs, etc.)

    • Ways YOU Can Get Involved...

  • Spread the Word about Unequal Access in the "Dual Label" EC Environment
    Check out our talking points you can use when telling others about why issues around EC are still important.
  • Take the EC Campus Challenge!
    Spread the word about EC on your campus in a fun and creative way. (And maybe even win a great prize in the process!)
  • Write an Op-Ed!
    Use this sample op-ed to spread the word about how unequal access remains a problem for many women.
  • EC 101: Back to the Basics
    Check out our new and improved toolkit with EC activities to engage your volunteers, suggested policy and advocacy activities and much more!
  • Ideas for Health Care Providers and Pharmacists
    Suggestions for EC outreach and education for providers and pharmacists
  • Become a Co-Sponsor!
    Add your organization’s name to the list of Co-Sponsors who support the campaign



    • The Back Up Your Birth Control Campaign unites more than 100 national and local medical organizations and women’s health advocacy groups to increase awareness of and improve access to emergency contraception. This campaign is coordinated by the National Institute for Reproductive Health, the national research, education and training arm of NARAL Pro-Choice New York.