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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | June 5, 2024 09:20 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Joshua Siegel and Rep. Melissa Cerrato |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Authorizing Pharmacists to Prescribe Contraceptives |
| While the debate over reproductive health access remains a heated one, we believe that there is one area in which many on both sides of the issue can agree and that is if we provide better and more expansive access to contraception, we can empower individuals, help to mitigate the amount of unwanted pregnancies, and let couples decide when and if they want to start a family. We will be introducing legislation that would give pharmacists here in Pennsylvania the authority to prescribe contraceptives to make them more accessible to the public. As of January, over two dozen states and Washington D.C. have passed laws allowing patients to receive prescriptions for contraceptives directly from pharmacists, including our neighbors Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, and West Virginia. Giving our pharmacists this authority will help reduce logistical barriers to access that disproportionately affect individuals of lower socioeconomic status. Each state has taken a different approach to how pharmacists are able to dispense contraceptives, and what training they are required to receive to do so, and so we are in the unique position to see the best practices from each and combine them into our legislation to ensure success upon implementation of this bill. Let’s work together to enact this proactive solution and ensure that every Pennsylvanian that wants access to contraception has an easy reliable way to receive it. |
Memo Updated: June 5, 2024 09:21 AM