Local health leaders explain new birth control law

Thanks to House Bill 96, birth control pills and patches will be available for women to get from their local pharmacies, without a prescription.

The new law that allows birth control pills and patches without a doctor’s prescription, require patients to complete an assessment consistent with the CDC’s criteria for contraceptive use.

New Hanover County’s Assistant Health Director Carla Turner said this is a step to ensure the contraceptive is safely distributed.

“I do want to emphasize that it is not going to be as simple as I walked into Walgreens, and I went back to the pharmacy and I picked up a pack of birth control pills and I left. The individual will have to fill out a health assessment form, much like you would at your doctor’s office, and when you fill that out the pharmacist will review that, because there are contraindications to some birth control,” said Carla Turner New Hanover County’s Assistant Health Director.

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic spokeswoman Molly Rivera says at this time, that state hasn’t set any restrictions or limitations regarding who can take advantage of the new law.

“By our read of the law, anyone of reproductive age, can go to the pharmacy to get the birth control pill or the patch, without a doctor’s prescription,” said Molly Rivera, Planned Parenthood South Atlantic spokeswoman.

Both Turner and Rivera say the new law is expected to benefit many women across the state.

“What I understand, this is an effort to cut down the number of unplanned pregnancies in the state. I think the state percentage of unplanned pregnancies is 44%, and so this is an effort to address that,” said Turner.

“This law will really help people. Especially folks who live in rural parts of the state to be able to go into the pharmacy, get that prescription and walk away with it that same day, without needing an extra visit to the doctor’s office,” said Rivera.

While the law went into effect yesterday, Turner and Rivera say pharmacies are not yet administering the contraceptives without a prescription, but it should be soon.