In the months since Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, access to birth control has become a contentious topic. Whether individuals have access to hormonal birth control is becoming a fear for people who rely on it for health reasons including regulating hormones and improving acne. Allowing pharmacists to prescribe and dispense hormonal birth control would help mitigate barriers and expand access to contraception.

Since 2020, more than ten states have expanded or strengthened pharmacists’ prescriptive power to include contraceptives. That means there are now twenty-four states and Washington DC that permit pharmacists to prescribe this important medication. There are many benefits to allowing pharmacists to prescribe and dispense hormonal birth control. Pharmacies are more accessible than a clinic or hospitals in many communities, they generally have more accessible hours, and do not always require appointments. These benefits allow more people to have convenient access to hormonal birth control.

Additionally, research has demonstrated that patients are in favor of increasing prescription power because of convenience and accessibility. A study in California found that seventy-four percent of survey respondents chose to visit a pharmacist for contraception because it would be quicker than getting a doctor’s appointment. Real-world applications of this have already taken place in states like Oregon. Two years after Oregon implemented its pharmacist-prescribed contraception protocol, it prevented an estimated 51 unintended pregnancies and saved the state $1.6 million.

Even with all the benefits, expanding pharmacists’ roles creates some challenges. To begin these programs, states must implement sufficient billing infrastructure, find ways to pay pharmacists for their extra services, comply with privacy and confidentiality standards, and make sure pharmacists are adequately trained in prescribing hormonal birth control to ensure patient safety.

There are multiple legal and regulatory processes that must be put into place to allow pharmacists to expand prescribing power. One potential process is giving pharmacists outright prescriptive authority, which allows pharmacists independent power to prescribe hormonal birth control. This framework specifies certain conditions where pharmacists are authorized to prescribe certain medications. Pharmacists are given specific procedures from a state board of pharmacy, and they are required to follow the instructions given when prescribing birth control to patients. Another option is implementing a collaborative practice agreement. In this framework, pharmacists and pharmacies are in partnership with other healthcare providers, and the pharmacists are authorized by physicians to select, initiate, monitor, continue, and adjust medication regimens for patients.

By implementing these programs, individuals will be able to get birth control in a more convenient way. This is especially important for women and individuals needing birth control in a post-Dobbs world where access to contraceptives is being challenged throughout the courts.