Campus Health Service must delay the availability of over-the-counter Plan B pills until their stock of prescription pills has run out.
Plan B, also known as the “”morning-after pill,”” is a form of emergency contraceptive recently approved for over-the-counter sale by the Food and Drug Administration.
It’s still going to be kept behind the counter. So people will still have to talk to somebody to get the pills.
– Casey Crowley, pharmacy technician at Campus Health
But packaging differences between the prescription pills and the over-the counter pills is postponing the change in UA health facilities’ sale methods, said Campus Health officials.
In the next few weeks, Campus Health will be making the switch, but for now, it will continue selling the pills with a prescription only, said Casey Crowley, a pharmacy technician at Campus Health.
There is no chemical difference between the prescription and nonprescription pills, Crowley said.
“”The packaging is different, so we’re waiting until we run out of our stock of the other pills,”” Crowley said.
Currently, “”it is not really that hard to get the pills,”” even when a prescription is needed, Crowley said.
Campus Health now sells about eight to 10 Plan B pills daily, Crowley said. When the pills become available without a prescription, there will likely be an increase in the number of pills sold per day.
“”It’s still going to be kept behind the counter,”” Crowley said. “”So people will still have to talk to somebody to get the pills.””
Having to speak with a nurse or pharmacist before making the purchase is what can make people feel uncomfortable about buying the Plan B pills, said Crowley.
The Plan B pill is available over-the-counter for women 18 years or older at most clinics, but a prescription is still required for those aged 17 or younger, according to the FDA. When used correctly, the pill will safely prevent unwanted pregnancy.
Plan B costs $25 at Campus Health, according to their Web site.
