Opinions of West Texas pharmacists about emergency contraception

• Main Authors: Sutkin G (Author), Grant B (Author), Irons BK (Author), Borders TF (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Centro de Investigaciones y Publicaciones Farmaceuticas, 2006-12-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 1885-642X; 1886-3655
• Keywords: Contraception; Postcoital; Pharmacists; Ethics; Pharmacy; United States; Therapeutics. Pharmacology; RM1-950; Pharmacy and materia medica; RS1-441
• Source: Pharmacy Practice, Vol 4, Iss 4, Pp 151-155 (2006)

Background: The pharmacist's role in dispensing emergency contraception (EC) has become controversial due to the intersection of personal and professional ethics. Therefore, to examine the issue of EC availability, we surveyed a sample of West Texas pharmacists. West Texas is a religiously and politically conservative region where no methods of EC have been made available.Objective: to survey a sample of pharmacists in West Texas about their experience, beliefs, and knowledge of EC both before and after a presentation of the current literature about EC.Methods: We asked a convenience sample of 75 pharmacists about their experience, beliefs, and knowledge of EC both before and after a presentation of the current literature about EC.Results: Sixty-four (85%) pharmacists agreed to complete the study questionnaire. None carries EC in his/her pharmacy, and scientific understanding of EC was generally poor. Fourteen percent stated EC conflicts with their religious views, 17% considered it a method of abortion, 11% would not be willing to fill an EC prescription written by a doctor. 58% would be willing to offer EC over the counter. The presentation encouraged more to offer it over the counter, but in general did not significantly change their beliefs.Conclusion: Our sample of West Texas pharmacists demonstrated very little experience with, a general lack of knowledge about, and some personal and religious objections to EC.