Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio partners with Direct Relief to offer no-cost IUDs for uninsured patients

Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio
For Immediate Release – March 15, 2021
Contact: Laurel Powell, Director of Media Relations, [email protected]
Contact: Tony Morain, Vice President of Communications, [email protected]

Planned Parenthood partners with Direct Relief to offer no-cost IUDs for uninsured patients

COLUMBUS, OH — Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio (PPGOH), the largest reproductive health organization in Ohio, and Direct Relief, an international humanitarian aid organization, are joining forces to provide no-cost intrauterine devices (IUDs), a type of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), to uninsured patients at its health centers.

In a time of unprecedented political attacks and the loss of Title X, with its associated increase in purchase costs for contraceptives like IUDs, this ground-breaking partnership is helping to bridge a health care divide that has drastic consequences. While LARCs are a preferred method of contraception once financial barriers are removed, their high up-front costs place them out of reach for too many of Planned Parenthood’s patients. This new partnership allows PPGOH to have these devices on-hand, on-demand, ready to meet patient needs and maintain its high standard of patient care.

“Exciting new partnerships with organizations like Direct Relief are becoming more important to Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio and our patients as we face rapidly increasing costs for these contraceptive devices,” said Adarsh Krishen, Chief Medical Officer at Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio. “IUDs are safe, easily reversible, and orders of magnitude more effective in preventing pregnancy than other forms of birth control. They are the go-to form of contraception for a growing number of Ohioans, and through this partnership, the reassurance and ease of having an IUD will be within reach for those who are uninsured or living in poverty.”

"Nonprofit health providers, like Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio, provide high quality care for their patients each day, and Direct Relief is privileged to support them," said Damon Taugher, Direct Relief's Vice President of Global Programs. "This support, generously provided by Medicines360, will allow more of these essential health services to take place for patients seeking services."

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Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio works to protect, promote, and provide empowered health care for generations of people across Ohio. PPGOH serves approximately 63,000 patients annually throughout Ohio including metropolitan areas in Toledo, Akron, Canton, Youngstown, Mansfield, Cleveland, Columbus, and Athens.

A humanitarian organization committed to improving the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies, Direct Relief delivers lifesaving medical resources throughout the world to communities in need—without regard to politics, religion, or ability to pay. For more information, please visit www.DirectRelief.org

Medicines360 is a nonprofit global women’s health pharmaceutical company with a mission to remove cost as a barrier to health by developing and providing affordable Women’s Health products.