Hot Issues
Pennsylvania Issues
- Pharmacy Refusal? It’s Outrageous!
Despite EC being available behind-the-counter to women and men 18 and older, Plan B emergency contraception (EC), also known as "the Morning After Pill," is not easily accessible, particularly in rural areas, where only half of all pharmacies in Pennsylvania stock it. Across the country, there have been many reports of pharmacists refusing to administer it. In some cases, pharmacists have even refused to fill regular birth control prescriptions!!
IT’S OUTRAGEOUS!
We want to know if this has happened to you. If a pharmacist has refused to give you Plan B or regular birth control, please email us!
Federal Issues
- Birth Control Crisis: Prices Skyrocket!
Millions of women across the country are facing a crisis when it comes to their access to birth control. As a result of a law enacted in January, 2007 - called the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) - the price of birth control pills at universities and health centers across the country has skyrocketed.
In the DRA, Congress changed the rule allowing pharmaceutical companies to offer some providers low cost drugs – inadvertently making it harder for universities and safety net family planning providers, like Planned Parenthood, to offer their patients affordable birth control.
Since this law went into effect, pill packs on college campuses have gone from $3 to $30. In many cases, the cost increase means many women can no longer afford birth control. This puts women at increased risk of unintended pregnancy and serious health issues.
This is a simple problem for Congress to fix. It will cost the government nothing and can be done immediately. Tell Congress to fix the birth control pricing crisis caused by the DRA! Women deserve access to affordable birth control. Contact the Public Affairs Department at 215.351.5510 or email externalaffairs@ppsp.org for more information.
The Prevention First Act (S.21/H.R.819) symbolizes our shared commitment to supporting healthy families through commonsense prevention measures. It is an omnibus family planning initiative that expands access to preventive health care services and education programs to help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies, prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and improve women’s health — all while saving scarce public health dollars.
The bill includes measures to fully fund Title X, expand access to services through Medicaid, require equity in contraceptive insurance coverage, protect rape survivors’ access to emergency contraception (EC) in the emergency room (ER), improve awareness about EC generally, and protect teens’ health through medically accurate, real sex education.
Improving access to contraception and preventive health care should be a shared national goal. As a nation, if we are committed to reducing the number of abortions in America, the most effective way to do so is to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies by increasing both the availability of contraception, preventive health care programs and teen pregnancy prevention initiatives.
Southeastern Pennsylvania Representatives Brady, Fattah, Murphy and Schwartz have co-sponsored the Prevention First Act. Representative Gerlach and Senators Specter and Casey have not signed on to co-sponsor this crucial legislation.
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