RIGHT TO CHOOSE
With support from the National Institutes of Health, the University of Washington is testing the idea of letting women buy birth control pills without a prescription. From the substantial A.P. report:
More than 50 woman have enrolled since the study was launched Feb. 23 by the UW School of Pharmacy and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology with funding from the National Institutes of Health. Researchers hope to enroll 300 women.
Women 18 to 45 years old can visit any of eight Fred Meyer or Bartell pharmacies in Seattle and its suburbs, complete a health questionnaire and have their weight and blood pressure checked.
If they pass a good-health checklist, they can obtain three months of birth-control pills or patches right away, and an additional nine months' worth at a follow-up visit. The price is $25 per visit plus the medicine. Insurance companies generally will not pay.
Yes, yes, yes, it's a good idea to have an annual physical, and the need for a birth control prescription often prompts women to see their doctors. But it's also a good idea to floss your teeth and watch your diet. Just because something is a good idea doesn't mean your right to buy birth control should be contingent on that practice.