To the Editor:

In a response to Alder Zach Brandon’s proposed initiative that would require local pharmacies to provide or make referrals on emergency contraception (EC), editorial board chairman Ryan Masse criticizes legislators like Mr. Brandon of trying to create a “dreamland” in Madison. After reading his comments, however, I question his sense of reality.

He paints a picture in which everyone is equipped with the resources to make phone calls and drive all over town in order to attain what they need. That’s a nice idea, but I can tell you that, for a number of reasons, people sometimes have to wait several days to go shopping. While that may be no big deal if we’re talking about renting videos, it can become a huge problem for someone trying to access healthcare, especially EC.

While its efficacy remains quite high through 72 hours, this is by no means a trivial timeframe. Studies have shown that the chance of becoming pregnant does, in fact, increase even within this timeframe. For instance, a woman who takes EC more than 24 hours after intercourse has twice the risk of becoming pregnant than a woman who takes EC within those first hours. To a sexual assault victim or a woman struggling to find time and hopping buses to get to a pharmacy, only to find out they don’t provide any information about EC let alone have it in stock, every passing hour is more important than Mr. Masse may imagine.

While we seem to agree that emergency rooms have a unique obligation in providing care to the public, it’s important to remember that our community’s pharmacies are also a vital part of the healthcare system. They belong to a team with many other health professionals that have a responsibility to educate and engage patients in their health care decisions. Relying on supply and demand, good customer service, and the “backlash of not being helpful” could potentially fail many female patients. If a woman does not receive emergency contraception in a timely manner, I think we’re far more concerned about her health and pregnancy than the lousy customer service.
This proposed legislation is clearly aimed at increasing access to emergency contraception, recognizing the important role pharmacies play. By providing EC or offering referrals, pharmacies help ensure better patient compliance and contribute to the goal of reducing the
number of unplanned pregnancies in the community.

Sincerely,

Jabe Best
[email protected]
Third-year MD/PhD student