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| Helping pharmacy & health communities improve access to Emergency Contraception (EC) |
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MaineEC pharmacy legislation (LD 1152) was introduced in January 2003 and carried over to the 2004 legislative session. With the support of the legislature, it was signed by the governor on March 3, 2004, making Maine the sixth state in the U.S. to provide EC directly to women in pharmacies. The law, introducing collaborative practice for the first time in Maine, went into effect on July 1, 2004, and the implementation process has started. The Board of Pharmacy will be developing the rules for the EC program, in consultation with the Pharmacy Association and other organizations, and issues such as training requirements, the collaborative practice protocol, and pharmacists’ compensation will be stipulated. The Family Planning Association of Maine (FPA) is conducting outreach to pharmacists and providers to generate support. An EC training will be held on April 1, 2005 to train pharmacists to provide EC directly to women. The delegating authority is any prescribing practitioner: physicians, nurse practitioners, and midwives. The bill had opposition from the Right to Life groups and the Catholic Diocese whose concern focused on minors and health risks. Amendments were introduced regarding limited minor access and parental consent, but were ultimately not included. Estimates reportedly show that improved access to emergency contraception could reduce the rates of unintended pregnancy and abortion by half in Maine. The Emergency Contraception Access Campaign (ECAC), a coalition of over twenty statewide and local organizations committed to better access to emergency contraception was formed to mobilize support for pharmacy access. The FPA has surveyed pharmacies to ensure that EC is stocked, and with the support of the Maine Health Access Foundation, the FPA has hired staff to work with the pharmacist and medical community in order to promote better awareness. Don Downing, a pharmacist trainer from Washington State, led an EC training for the Maine Pharmacy Association at their fall conference in October 2004. The Association plans to hold another EC training to certify pharmacists at their Spring Trade Show and Convention in April 2005. The Association had expressed several initial concerns about the bill including time, cost, reimbursement, and clarification on minor’s right to treatment. Maine reportedly suffers from the worst pharmacist shortage in the nation, which is a barrier to get pharmacists involved. In June 2003, the ECAC sent a letter (DOC-36K) to representatives educating them on LD 1152, the importance of EC in reducing unintended pregnancy and abortion, and the role pharmacists can play in providing access. The Family Planning Association of Maine developed a special report with key facts about emergency contraception, titled “Giving Women a Second Chance…Because Worrying Doesn’t Prevent Pregnancy” (PDF-60K). They also developed a fact sheet and wallet card on emergency contraception. PPNNE has also conducted educational outreach about EC on college campuses. For press coverage in this state, click here.
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