Emergency Contraception: No Help if Women Still Can't Get It

Barr Laboratories began shipping Plan B to pharmacies nationwide on Nov. 6 on the non-prescription basis recently approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration.

That puts the pill within much easier reach.

But while access is now enhanced to the time-sensitive drug, barriers -- including some prices nearing $45 -- remain.

Because of its new non-prescription status, Carol Cox, a spokeswoman for Barr Labs, told Women's eNews that the distributor does not expect insurance companies to provide coverage for it and that Medicaid does not cover Plan B in all states.

Health advocates recommend that, because it can still be difficult to buy Plan B on a timely and affordable basis, women should buy the emergency contraception even if they don't need it, just to be on the safe side.

Women who can't afford to buy Plan B can try clinics in some regions, such as Planned Parenthood, that will provide the product on a sliding-fee basis.

Because of the age restriction imposed by the FDA, most women under 18 years old must still acquire a prescription for it.

Exceptions are women under 18 who live in Alaska, Hawaii, California, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, or Vermont. They may be able to get Plan B directly from a pharmacist who participates in the state's pharmacy access program, according to the National Women's Law Center. States in this program allow Barr to ship the drug directly to participating pharmacists, rather than stores.

Women can also get men to buy Plan B.

"The great thing is that there are no barriers to men buying the pill," said Lisa Wynn, a research associate at the Office for Population Research at Princeton University. "The barrier is an age barrier. And for women under 18, they can get an older boyfriend or sister to buy the pill for them."

"I think we're seeing an increase in men who want to take more responsibility -- or control, if you will -- over contraception," Wynn said. "After all, if you're facing the choice between 18 years of paying monthly child support or spending $45 on Plan B, well, it's a no-brainer."

Photo ID Required

Male or female, however, those purchasing Plan B will still have to show a photo ID to prove they are old enough.

This includes anything from an expired U.S. passport, to a driver's license, a school identification card, U.S. military draft card, or a voter's registration card, according to Not-2-Late.com, an emergency contraceptive web resource jointly run by the Office of Population Research at Princeton University and the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit.

Government-issued IDs may pose a problem for undocumented aliens, says Wynn. The FDA listed Canadian drivers' licenses, but didn't mention Mexico or any other countries, Wynn said.

Plan B is technically available "over the counter," but in fact it's going to be mainly kept behind the counter. Because of the FDA's age restriction, it can only be sold at pharmacies, many of which are not open 24-hours a day. A pharmacist must be on duty to dispense it.

Plan B should be used as soon as possible after unprotected sex. If taken within 72 hours it is 89 percent effective, says Barr Labs. But women may have trouble locating a pharmacy that is open on a holiday or some portions of the weekend.

Pharmacist Contact Required

For some women, contact with the pharmacist also poses a barrier.

James Trussell, an emergency-contraception expert also at Princeton, says Not-2-late.com receives an average of five e-mails a day from women expressing anxiety about purchasing Plan B.

"There is always a psychological barrier in speaking about a contraceptive failure," Wynn said. "It becomes relevant when you come into a small town, when women know the pharmacist behind the counter."