Contraception sans physician
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Seattle, Wash.-based pharmacies are providing non-emergency oral contraceptives without a physician's consultation under study run by University of Washington School of Pharmacy. The NIH-sponsored Direct Access Study recruits women aged 18 to 45 "through shelf-talkers, brochures...and in conjunction with emergency contraception consultations at the study pharmacies." Participants complete a self-screening questionnaire and pharmacists decide "whether and what" to prescribe. Follow-up occurs after three months. The state previously sponsored programs offering EC without a physician: "In providing this service pharmacists have often noted how beneficial it would be if they could provide EC patients with ongoing contraception before they left the pharmacy," UW notes...