IU Health Center will stock the drug, says new rule won't have large impact

IU Health Center officials said a new policy announced Thursday allowing over-the-counter sale of Plan B -- also known as the morning-after pill -- should make it more accessible but might not significantly decrease the amount of time it takes IU students to get the drug.\n"It's not going to impact us a lot," Cheryl Thomas, IU Health Center pharmacy director said, adding that the health center will carry the new nonprescription pill, which it previously offered with prescription only. "What it's going to help with is knowledge. People are going to read and hear about it."\nThomas said the process of prescribing the drug is already quick at the health center and the new policy will only cut out talking to one person. She said as long as the center is open the time it takes to get plan B will not be greatly affected. \nThe drug, called Plan B, will be for sale without a prescription to women and men age 18 or older. While many women's rights groups declared the decision a victory, several organizations stated they want it to be available to women age 17 and younger. \n"It's a very good thing to have more opportunities for women to access different kinds of contraceptives," said Office of Women's Affairs Assistant Dean Carol McCord. "Having a safe and effective backup method of birth control that's available to women without having to ask for permission for it is undeniably good."\nMost Bloomington pharmacies will carry the drug, said a pharmacist at the CVS/Pharmacy on College Mall Road who wished not to be identified because of store policy prohibiting communication with the press. \nThe drug, if taken within 72 hours of sexual intercourse, can significantly lower the risk of pregnancy. It is more effective if used soon after sex, but becomes ineffective if the woman is already pregnant, according to the IU Health Center Web site. \nThe drug will be sold only at pharmacies -- not other stores like gas stations or grocery stores. Pharmacists will be responsible for checking identification before selling the drug, which could be on shelves by the end of the year. \nThomas said the next big question is the cost of the drug. At its current $25 for a single dose at the health center, price can be a deterrent for some women, she said. She said she hopes the price will be reduced, but Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the company that manufactures Plan B, has yet to publish any information about new prices.\nThomas and McCord agreed that easy access to Plan B will be especially important for universities.\n"On college campuses, it's quite clear that the number of people who are having sexual encounters is pretty high," McCord said, adding that many partners are not in serious relationships and might not talk about safe sex. "There are also more sexual assaults, and all of those situations show a need for contraceptive plans."\nSome groups oppose the plan, preferring to teach abstinence.\n"The main opposition to this is from people who want to withhold contraceptives as a way to prevent people from having sexual interactions," McCord said.\nCalls Thursday evening attempting to reach members of Campus Crusade for Christ and the St. Paul Catholic Center in Bloomington were not returned by press time.