Latest news with #Phexxi
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Illinois pharmacists could soon dispense Ella emergency contraceptive without a doctor's prescription
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Illinoisans could soon have access to emergency birth control straight from pharmacists — and no prescription would be needed from a doctor. The Illinois Senate Executive Committee passed a bill to update the state's Pharmacy Practice Act. This would let pharmacists in Illinois dispense the emergency contraceptive ulipristal acetate — more commonly known as Ella — and other non-hormonal options as a way to prevent pregnancy. Illinois' move to end time limit to prosecute human trafficking passes Senate Committee Legislative chair for the Illinois section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Dr. Michelle Brown said the pill works faster. 'Ella is effective four more days after unprotected intercourse than Plan B,' Brown said. 'It works better for patients with higher BMIs and is effective 95% of the time, compared with 89% for Plan B.' Ella works by delaying ovulation. Right now, Illinoisans can get Plan B over the counter, but to get Ella, a doctor has to prescribe it under the current law. Sen. Rachel Ventura (D-Joliet), who took charge of the House bill in the Senate, said this would make it easier for people eligible to access emergency contraception when they need it. 'Women come in all shapes and sizes so it only stands to reason that medication should be tailored to them as needed,' Ventura said. 'By allowing pharmacists to prescribe all types of contraceptives, including non-hormonal options, this bill aims to improve access so that every individual can make the best choice for birth control.' Bill banning searches of vehicles due to smell of raw cannabis passes Illinois House committee Pharmacists can also provide other contraceptives, including Phexxi and Plan B, for people who prefer different hormonal contraception. Still, they would need a standing order from the state's Public Health Director to give out Ella, similar to giving out flu shots. The pharmacist will also be reimbursed 85% of what the doctor would pay for contraception services. To receive the payment, pharmacists must be enrolled in the state's Medicaid system as ordering and referring providers. It passed the committee with seven votes in favor and three against. It has already passed the House and is now headed to the Senate floor for further debate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
NBC News
18-05-2025
- Health
- NBC News
The morning-after pill is coming to a convenience store near you
Why 24-hour access matters At the same time, some birth control products have become more easily available through online purchasing and over the counter, including Opill, which last year became the first non prescription birth control pill available in the United States. New methods of birth control have also come to market, including long-acting implants, patches and Phexxi, a hormone-free vaginal gel. Emergency contraception is available without a prescription, a fact that many women don't know, according to a poll conducted by KFF, a health policy research organization. Indeed, half of women who live in states where abortion is banned either incorrectly think emergency contraceptive pills are illegal in their state or say they are unsure, the poll found. Still, younger women are more likely to report that they've used emergency contraception: 44% of women ages 15 to 24 and 40% of women ages 25 to 34. And online data shows that searches for emergency contraception often happen later at night, Voyten said. 'And 7-Eleven is open,' she said. Megan Kavanaugh, a principal research scientist with the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research group, said 99% of women of childbearing age in the United States have used some form of contraception, including natural family planning, 'over the course of their lifetime,' a trend that holds true across all demographics, including religious beliefs. Less than 1 percent of women use fertility awareness based methods. And the use of emergency contraception has also risen in recent decades. Researchers at KFF found that one-third of women ages 15 to 49 who have ever had sex with a male in the United States have used it. 'People use EC for a lot of reasons,' Kavanaugh said. 'The condom fails, they haven't been using birth control or they may need to use it after sexual assault.' Cost, however, can be a barrier for some women, she said, noting that over-the-counter products like Plan B One Step — another emergency contraceptive — can cost upwards of $50. 'That's a prohibitive price point,' she said. Condoms are inexpensive but usually outside the control of women having sex, Kavanaugh said. 'It's all part of the misogyny that we live in that we price products differently,' she said. Cadence's emergency contraception is priced around $25 per box for a one-time dose. A study of consumer behavior conducted by the manufacturer, Cadence, found that women questioned the quality and efficacy of a birth control product priced below $15, but products priced more than $30 were prohibitively expensive. Polling shows that a broad majority of Americans support contraception and oppose efforts to restrict its access. Stored in lockboxes or behind the counter Still, getting help in preventing pregnancy can often be a challenge, said Dr. Amanda Bryson, a pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist at the University of California, San Francisco and an assistant professor of pediatrics. Bryson, who provides care to adolescents and young adults and is not affiliated with Cadence, said that those barriers can include a need for confidentiality, as well as a lack of transportation, financial means or health insurance. And even though emergency contraception is available without a prescription or age requirement, pharmacists often stock the product in lockboxes or behind the counter, requiring teenagers and young adults to seek out a store clerk. In convenience stores, the pills are generally stocked next to condoms, not behind the counter. Finding emergency contraception in rural areas can also be difficult, particularly in towns without a pharmacy or a drugstore. Bryson recalled one patient who called, after-hours, seeking emergency contraception. After counseling the patient, who had insurance, Bryson called in a prescription to a local pharmacy, but it was out of stock. Another pharmacy, however, had over-the-counter medication — for $50. The patient bought the pills there. 'It shouldn't be this hard,' Bryson said. 'This young adult had information about EC, she had a physician who could counsel her, she knew she could reach me after hours, she had insurance, she was able to drive, and this was still an immense barrier.' She added: 'In situations similar to this one, having a lower cost pill in convenience stores with expanded hours could be really meaningful.' 'Taking care of your sexual health should not be stigmatized,' Bryson said, adding that 'availability and visibility' of birth control for women on convenience store shelves can help combat stigma. Cadence officials say they would like to expand their market on college campuses, and perhaps even to vending machines, noting that it is a 'very profitable product.' And though Plan B, a widely known emergency contraception brand, is not available in convenience stores, the medication is distributed at CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and other retailers and can be delivered by UberEats, Doordash, and Instacart, according the company. While retailers in some areas 'have objections about bringing in the product,' those concerns are often overtaken by demand, Voyten said. 'There are some who say, 'I don't believe in this,'' she said. ''But I know my customer needs it.''
