Why I Started “Birth Control Pharmacist”
My ultimate goal is to help women and men who do not want to start or expand their families right now with their family planning needs. Seems simple. Despite a lot of valiant efforts, nearly half of all pregnancies…45% to be exact…are unintended (i.e., mistimed or unwanted). That’s millions of unintended pregnancies in the United States each year. For more stats, check out the Guttmacher Institute’s fact sheet.
Now you’re beginning to understand my passion for this issue.
The good news is that policymakers and consumers alike are starting to realize the contributions of pharmacists to the field of family planning, particular direct patient care services. Some states have enacted legislation to expand the pharmacists scope of practice to include prescribing hormonal contraception and emergency contraception, with more states following suit.
Most pharmacists who will be providing contraceptive services are not experts in the field of family planning nor are they expected to be. As a pharmacist specializing in family planning, I’d like to support my colleagues in providing competent and evidence-based contraceptive care. The Birth Control Pharmacist project aims to provide the education and training, resources, and clinical updates to pharmacists prescribing contraception. Relevant information and news on research, public policy, and products will be shared too.
In closing, I hope pharmacists and pharmacy students will find the Birth Control Pharmacist’s content useful. I look forward to your comments, suggestions, and questions!
Sincerely,
Sally