WASHINGTON, DC — The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and the Contraceptive Access Initiative (CAI) are delighted to announce progress on a path forward for increasing access to hormonal contraceptives at pharmacies. This follows the successful conclusion of the "Accessible Consumer Choices: Shaping the Future of Contraceptive Care at Pharmacies Summit," held at APhA Headquarters on February 28, 2024.
The summit convened a diverse range of private and public sector stakeholders, including representatives from the White House Gender Policy Council, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, pharmacy businesses, pharmacists, patient advocates, and other influential voices. Throughout the day, participants engaged in fruitful discussions and collaborative sessions aimed at advancing accessible and equitable hormonal contraceptive care at pharmacies.
"The collaborative spirit exhibited at the summit is a testament to the commitment of stakeholders to enhance contraceptive care at pharmacies,” said Michael D. Hogue, PharmD, FAPhA, FNAP, FFIP, APhA’s executive vice president and CEO. “By addressing barriers and fostering collaboration, we are making significant strides in ensuring patients have broader access to essential health care services provided by pharmacists."
The summit achieved its primary objectives:
- Policy and implementation barriers: Stakeholders identified Federal and State policy barriers and implementation obstacles that currently limit patient access to pharmacist-provided hormonal contraceptives.
- Recommendations: Collaborative efforts led to the development of recommendations aimed at overcoming policy and implementation barriers, ultimately increasing access to pharmacist-provided hormonal contraceptives.
- Collaborative relationships: Partnerships between the public and private sectors, as well as between patient advocacy groups and the pharmacy community, were fostered to collectively address and overcome existing barriers.
- Public awareness: Strategies were discussed to work toward increasing public awareness regarding pharmacist-provided hormonal contraceptives as a viable and accessible option to meet reproductive health care needs.
“The importance of expanding access to contraception and removing barriers to care has never been greater, and we appreciate the Biden Administration's leadership in inspiring this convening to dive into the challenges and opportunities before us,” said Dana Singiser, CAI cofounder. “Through our partnership with APhA on this convening and with the thoughtful expertise of every participant, we have identified significant areas of common interest. We look forward to continuing our work toward making contraception truly available and accessible to all.”
The summit's outcomes and recommendations will be compiled into a comprehensive report, which will be made available to the public and policymakers. APhA and CAI look forward to continuing their efforts to shape the future of contraceptive care at pharmacies.
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For more information, please contact: media@aphanet.org and loretta@caminopr.com.