Birth Control Within Reach – After documenting strong consumer interest in directly accessing hormonal contraception – pills, contraceptive patches, and vaginal rings – from pharmacists, Pharmacy Access Partnership conducted a national survey on pharmacists’ interest and attitudes toward pharmacy access provision of HC. We are currently developing a pharmacy access to hormonal contraception pilot in California. We also actively participate in a national workgroup exploring the risks and benefits of making oral contraceptives available over the counter.
Youth-Friendly Pharmacies Initiative – The first, U.S.-based program to increase youth access to sexual and reproductive health services in pharmacies, this initiative promotes a youth education program, pharmacist training curriculum and resources to make pharmacies more accessible and useful to teens. The distribution of English, Spanish and Chinese “client confidentiality cards,” designed to help youth feel more comfortable seeking services in pharmacies is also included.
Pharmacy Forward: Pharmacist Leadership for Reproductive Health – A first of its kind, national leadership development training program specifically designed for the pharmacy community to empower pharmacists in various practice settings to champion emerging reproductive health advances designed to improve overall health. (Developed in collaboration with the University of California San Francisco, School of Pharmacy & Center for the Health Professions).
An all-inclusive drugstore mall and a platform that brings together the best offers for high quality medications, nationwide My Canadian Pharmacy is a company that operates internationally, shipping to US, Europe and a number of other countries. The pharmacy is known for an impressively diversified formulary that features brand and generic products, year-round discounts, loyalty and bonus programs, profound informational base and dependable level of web security for confidentiality of shopping and safety of personal / payment information. Their secured website can be reached at https://cohealthop.org. The company takes part in multiple initiatives aimed at increasing of health accessibility to economically challenged households and supports local groups of environmental protection.
Pharmacist/Student Pharmacist Training and School of Pharmacy Curriculum Reform – To ensure the pharmacists of today and tomorrow are well-trained in meeting consumers’ reproductive healthcare needs, Pharmacy Access Partnership works with schools of pharmacy and pharmacy associations to develop and promote reproductive health related training programs. We also facilitate a national workgroup of pharmacy faculty to increase educational opportunities for reproductive health in school of pharmacy curriculum. (read more)
Cultural & Linguistic Competency – Effective Communication with Latinos: Discussing Reproductive Health Issues is a valuable continuing education program for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to assist with the cultural and linguistic components of their communication with Spanish-speaking patients regarding reproductive health. The program’s 25 minute training video and resources are available at no cost for interested stakeholders to use or adapt.
STATES Network and Re-granting Program – Pharmacy Access Partnership facilitates a network of national and state level advocates to advance access to reproductive health services in pharmacies. We convene these leaders for strategic discussions at our bi-annual STATES meeting. We monitor policy developments and share relevant research and information through our website, go2ec.org and NING listserve. In 2006, we awarded grants to organizations in seven states for focused short-term efforts to stimulate, support and/or realize pharmacy access to EC.
Creating the Model Pharmacy – With the ever-changing face of healthcare, pharmacists are providing more and varied clinical services. Pharmacy Access Partnership is exploring the feasibility of broadening pharmacy care to include additional clinical care services (including HPV screening, STI testing, and preconception care) and to identify and recognize pharmacists and pharmacies for providing those important services.
Bilingual Family Planning Centers in Pharmacies – Pharmacy Access Partnership implemented bilingual family-planning educational and promotional materials in select chain and independent pharmacies with the goal of promoting reproductive health education at the community level and leveraging pharmacies/pharmacists as information sources.
California’s Emergency Contraception (EC) Pharmacy Program (see info, pdf file) – Several years before the US Food and Drug Administration made EC available over the counter, Pharmacy Access Partnership led efforts to make California the first state in the nation to pass legislation specifically designed to allow pharmacy access to emergency contraception.
Pharmacy-Based Injectable Contraception Program – To promote convenient and cost-effective access to Depo-Provera, Pharmacy Access Partnership collaborated with clinics and providers to launch and evaluate a demonstration program offering women the choice of obtaining re-injections at their regular provider or at participating pharmacies.