Walmart forced to stock contraceptives

[buttmunch]

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(AP) The state board that oversees pharmacies ordered Wal-Mart on Tuesday to stock emergency contraception pills at its pharmacies in Massachusetts, making the Bay State the second in the nation to require the world's largest retailer to carry the drug.

A Wal-Mart spokesman said the company would comply with the directive by the Massachusetts Board of Pharmacy, and is reviewing its nationwide policy governing the so-called "morning after" pill.

"Clearly women's health is a high priority for Wal-Mart," spokesman Dan Fogleman said. "We are actively thinking through the issue."

Wal-Mart now carries the pill only in Illinois, where it is required to do so under state law. The company has said it "chooses not to carry many products for business reasons," but has refused to elaborate. Wal-Mart pharmacists are told to refer customers to a different drug store if the pharmacy doesn't carry a certain medication.

Tuesday's unanimous decision by the pharmacy board comes two weeks after three women sued the Bentonville, Ark.-based retail giant for failing to carry the drug in its 44 Wal-Marts and four Sam's Club stores in Massachusetts.

The women had argued that state policy requires pharmacies to provide all "commonly prescribed medicines."

The board sent a letter to Wal-Mart lawyers on Tuesday informing them of the decision, said health department spokeswoman Donna Rheaume. Wal-Mart has until Thursday to provide written compliance with the board's decision.

"We did receive a letter and we will certainly comply," Fogleman said.

It was unclear how quickly Wal-Mart would have to stock its stores.

The pill provides a high dose of hormones that women can take up to five days after sex to prevent pregnancy. Some abortion opponents believe emergency contraception is a form of abortion because it blocks the fertilized egg from being implanted on the uterine wall.

A new state law that took effect late last year following heated debate on Beacon Hill requires all hospitals to provide the morning after pill to rape victims. It also allows pharmacists to dispense the pill without a prescription, but does not require them to do so.

CVS, the state's largest pharmacy chain, stocks the pill at all of its pharmacy locations, as do the state's other major pharmacy chains.

Sam Perkins, a lawyer for the three women, praised the board's decision and said he was prepared to file lawsuits in other states should Wal-Mart not overturn its policy. Abortion rights groups and women's organizations have also urged Wal-Mart to change its policy.

"From our point of view, they've bowed to the pressure of litigation, in part," Perkins said.

The plaintiffs — Katrina McCarty, 29, of Somerville, Julia Battel, 37, of Boston, and Dr. Rebekah Gee, 30, of Boston — were turned away when they tried to buy emergency contraception pills at area Wal-Marts.

The women said they knew they would be refused when they went to the Wal-Marts in Quincy and Lynn and that the action was planned with the abortion rights groups and lawyers.

"I'm proud to be able to tell my patients that they now can go anywhere for their prescriptions," Gee said. "My patients should not have to shop around."

[A*O]

The Pill is FREE in the UK as it should be everywhere. Unfortunately it does not seem to prevent thick-as-shit 14yr olds from getting knocked up, but that's down to ignorance, not finance.

[buttmunch]

It's free but do you need to have permission from your parents or anyone else? And what's the cutoff date on needing any permission?

[Barbara]

Are we talking about the pill or the emergency pill?
I don't think any should be free. Contraception should be much less expensive than it is now (here for example), but making it free is not a good signal IMO.

I read on a paper this morning that the sales of emergency pills explode on February 15th, I find this a little disturbing. I mean, it's Valentine's day, so lots of young people are probably PLANNING to have sex, why doesn't it get into their head that sex it the main cause (haha) of pregnancy?

[A*O]

The age of consent - 16 - however, a lot of GP's are quietly sympathetic if a sexually active 14yr comes to them asking for a Pill prescription. Legally the doc is required to inform the parents, but provided the patient can be trusted to be discreet the parents often aren't informed, especially if they are likely to go ballistic that their darling princess is actually a promiscuous ho.

My daugher is 15 and so far shows aboslutely no interest in boys at all - praise the Lord. But if she did want to go on the Pill I would have no objection. Rather that than deal with a pregnant teenager. If they are going to have sex anyway you have to be realistic.

[buttmunch]

This article refers to emergency pills. As far as the pill being free, why not? No one wants a bunch of unwanted pregnancies. Also, Viagra is subsidized by medicare, apparently. So they're ok with the erection but not the results of it.

[A*O]

Originally Posted by Barbara

Are we talking about the pill or the emergency pill?
I don't think any should be free. Contraception should be much less expensive than it is now (here for example), but making it free is not a good signal IMO.

I read on a paper this morning that the sales of emergency pills explode on February 15th, I find this a little disturbing. I mean, it's Valentine's day, so lots of young people are probably PLANNING to have sex, why doesn't it get into their head that sex it the main cause (haha) of pregnancy?

If they were on the (free) Pill anyway they would not have to worry about a Morning After version. Wake up world! Young teenagers have sex! I don't know the stats but I don't buy the argument that having a free Pill makes teenagers more promiscuous. They are going to have sex anyway so let's make sure they don't get pregnant.

[buttmunch]

I agree A*O. Teenagers have sex and have been doing so since time began. It's silly to think that if you take away the contraception, the sex won't happen. And quite frankly, who is to moralize about whether or not teens should have sex? It isn't inherently wrong for them to have sex.

[A*O]

Originally Posted by buttmunch

I agree A*O. Teenagers have sex and have been doing so since time began. It's silly to think that if you take away the contraception, the sex won't happen. And quite frankly, who is to moralize about whether or not teens should have sex? It isn't inherently wrong for them to have sex.

I admit this is one of my soapboxes [groans from the board]. I am passionate about giving young people every possible opportunity to learn about safe sex and provide them with the means to avoid pregnancy and STDs. It's interesting that when I talk about these things with my 15yr old daughter, and based on the info she's given at school (we don't have to deal with this nonsensical abstinance-based sex ed in Oz thank God) her reaction is that now she has all the facts she is actually LESS likely to want to have sex until she is absolutely ready. I don't believe that young girls deliberately set out to get pregnant (although some do). It happens because they are uneducated/ignorant and therefore irresponsible/careless about birth control. And this applies to BOTH sexes. I'm not advocating underage sex - far from it - but on the basis that it WILL happen let's do all we can to let these kids grow up before they have kids of their own. It would certainly help reduce the shameful number of abortions being carried out which should be the last resort anyway, not the first.

[Elise]

Isn't the Pill relatively cheap in the US anyway?? I remember getting it through Planned Parenthood for $9 a month.

[NawdleZouss]

Originally Posted by A*O

I admit this is one of my soapboxes [groans from the board]. I am passionate about giving young people every possible opportunity to learn about safe sex and provide them with the means to avoid pregnancy and STDs. It's interesting that when I talk about these things with my 15yr old daughter, and based on the info she's given at school (we don't have to deal with this nonsensical abstinance-based sex ed in Oz thank God) her reaction is that now she has all the facts she is actually LESS likely to want to have sex until she is absolutely ready. I don't believe that young girls deliberately set out to get pregnant (although some do). It happens because they are uneducated/ignorant and therefore irresponsible/careless about birth control. And this applies to BOTH sexes. I'm not advocating underage sex - far from it - but on the basis that it WILL happen let's do all we can to let these kids grow up before they have kids of their own. It would certainly help reduce the shameful number of abortions being carried out which should be the last resort anyway, not the first.

I wholeheartedly agree. Coincidentally, on Monday, a friend of mine, who's about fifteen now, asked me if I could get her the morning after pill. The fool had sex without a condom, since the guy didn't have one, and she doesnt keep them in the house because her mother would go ballistic if she found them. I should slap the shit out of her for being such an irresponsible little twat, but I guess I'll have to find some way of getting them.

I went on the pill when I was fourteen, and it was just a good desicion all around, my mother helped me get the doctors appointment and all. It would spare a lot of unwanted pregnancies if people weren't so crazy and uptight about the fact that teens *gasp* will probably have sex eventually.

[Grimmlok]

Slap the shit out of her, and tell her she's a fucking idiot and could have caught HIV.

God, pregnancy isn't the only issue! She could get any number of fatal diseases!

Why are people so stupid?

[A*O]

Because when you are 15 Grimm you are immortal, invincible and yukky stuff like babies and herpes and HIV happen to other people.

[NawdleZouss]

Originally Posted by Grimmlok

Slap the shit out of her, and tell her she's a fucking idiot and could have caught HIV.

God, pregnancy isn't the only issue! She could get any number of fatal diseases!

Why are people so stupid?

I tell you, I was THIS [ ] close to doing that. She is a fucking idiot, but there's not much I can do but try and help her, or leave her to her own devices, which I can't quite bring myself to do. I've had to go with her to get tested to, since she won't go by herself, and her mom would probably flay her alive if she asked. I guess it's what A*O said. At least I'm 16 now.

[Grimmlok]

I dunno, even at 15 I was paranoid about catching something.. you never know.

Go drag her around some final stages AIDs wards.. that'll set her straight. It's not a pretty sight.