Study: Pharmacists In Lower-Income Communities More Likely To Deny Plan B To Women
Women’s health advocates expressed concern about HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ recent decision to overrule the scientists at the Food and Drug Administration and deny over-the-counter access to the morning after pill for women of all ages. But new research suggests that even women who can legally access the drug without a prescription — women over the age of 17 — may have a hard time obtaining it:
Although the researchers found the availability of emergency contraception did not differ based on neighborhood income, in 19 percent of calls the adolescent was told she could not obtain emergency contraception under any circumstance. This misinformation occurred more often (23.7 percent compared to 14.6 percent) among pharmacies in low-income neighborhoods.
When callers queried the age threshold for over-the-counter access, they were given the correct age less often by pharmacies in low-income neighborhoods (50.0 percent compared to 62.8 percent). In all but 11 calls, the incorrect age was stated as erroneously too high, potentially restricting access.