A Bittersweet Birthday for EC Access
August 24th marks the three-year anniversary of FDA approval of over-the-counter access to PlanB® for women 18 and over. Despite the improvements in access to EC brought about by this FDA decision, too many women in Missouri still lack access. Even though emergency contraception (EC) prevents pregnancy and cannot terminate an existing pregnancy, many Missouri hospitals and pharmacies still claim a “moral objection” to dispensing the medication. NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri's summer 2009 hospital survey uncovered a drastic problem: over half of Missouri's hospitals do not provide onsite EC access to victims of rape and sexual assault. This hospital negligence blatantly disregards recommendations by the American Medical Association and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, which stipulate that EC should be offered to all rape victims in the emergency room. Though many hospitals have policies in which physicians provide prescriptions and referrals to be filled elsewhere, these passive policies are simply not sufficient. Because EC works only if taken within 120 hours of unprotected sex, timing is everything. Three years of OTC access should mark a celebration of EC accessibility, a recognition of Missouri women's rights to control their bodies and make their own reproductive decisions. Instead, we are fighting for a very basic right: that a woman or girl who has been raped not be forced to face an unwanted pregnancy as a result. As the rest of our country continues to make progress with EC access, Missouri cannot afford to fall behind. It was only two years ago that the state of Missouri stopped forcing rape victims to pay for their own evidence collection. This year, the rape kit is paid for, but sexual assault survivors all too often leave the hospital without knowing how to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. Do not allow Missouri to fall back on its commitment to sexual assault survivors – demand that EC be a routine part of compassionate care in every hospital. Join NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri in our work to secure responsible reproductive care for Missouri's women. Take action by signing our petition or contacting Paige Sweet to be part of an EC in the ER action team.
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