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Colorado legislature passes pharmacist EC
bill
Governor likely to veto proposal to allow
pharmacists to prescribe emergency contraception.
The Colorado House and Senate have approved HB06-1212, which
would allow ph armacists in the state to prescribe emergency
contraceptives (EC) such as Plan B (levonorgestrel —Duramed; Barr)
until OTC purchase of EC becomes legal. If the bill is signed into law,
Colorado would become the 10th state to allow women to access EC without
first visiting a physician.
The final version of HB06-1212 states, “It is the intent of the
General Assembly to extend prescriptive authority to licensed
pharmacists only for the purpose of prescribing emergency contraception
and not for any other prescription medications or controlled substances.
… For purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise
requires, ‘emergency contraception’ means any drug approved
by the federal Food and Drug Administration that prevents pregnancy
after sexual intercourse, including but not limited to oral
contraceptive pills clearly marketed for the purpose of preventing
pregnancy; except that ‘emergency contraception’ shall not
include RU-486, mifepristone, or any other drug that induces a
medication abortion.”
In April of last year, Gov. Bill Owens (R) vetoed a bill that would have
required all hospitals in the state to inform rape victims that EC was
available to them. In opposing HB05-1042, Owens cited the right of
health care professionals and institutions to opt out of providing
treatments that violate their religious or moral values. An attempt to
override the veto died in the House.
Regarding House Bill 06-1212, the Denver Post reported on March
31 that Owens has “strong concerns” about it because he
believes that physicians should not be left out of the loop if their
patients are taking EC. This interpretation contrasts with the Colorado
Medical Society’s support for the proposal. Owens also reportedly
believes that the proposed law would make it easier for minors to use
contraception without their parents’ knowledge, and he disapproves
of girls having such access.
Several health care organizations in the state, including the Colorado
Pharmacists Society and Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains ,
support HB06-1212. If passed, the bill would help further APhA’s
vision of using pharmacists to expand access to safe, effective, and
appropriate therapies while protecting pharmacists’ ability not to
participate in activities they find objectionable.
Web links
Related resources on www.pharmacist.com
Contact the writer: Bob Reynolds, Pharmacy Today
Posted April 6, 2006, 3:30pm EDT
| Governor likely to veto proposal to allow pharmacists to prescribe emergency contraception. |
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