CVS and Rite Aid Put Purchase Limits on Plan B emergency contraception after surge in demand

[essentialsaltes]

CVS and Rite Aid have begun rationing emergency contraceptives amid a spike in demand just days after the Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to abortion.

CVS said it will temporarily limit the purchase of Plan B and Aftera to three packs per customer. A spokesperson said Monday that while the drugstore chain has “ample supply” of the products both online and in-store, the cap is meant to “ensure equitable access and consistent supply on store shelves.”

Rite Aid also is limiting purchases to three per customer, spokesperson said Monday, also citing rising demand.

[The overturn of Roe does not affect emergency contraceptives]

 

[dogs4thewin]

CVS and Rite Aid have begun rationing emergency contraceptives amid a spike in demand just days after the Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to abortion.

CVS said it will temporarily limit the purchase of Plan B and Aftera to three packs per customer. A spokesperson said Monday that while the drugstore chain has “ample supply” of the products both online and in-store, the cap is meant to “ensure equitable access and consistent supply on store shelves.”

Rite Aid also is limiting purchases to three per customer, spokesperson said Monday, also citing rising demand.

[The overturn of Roe does not affect emergency contraceptives]

It is not the first time stores have imposed limits and it will not be the last.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Next frontier in the abortion wars: Your local CVS​

Anti-abortion advocates are organizing pickets outside CVS and Walgreens in early February in at least eight cities, including Washington, D.C., in response to the companies’ plans to take advantage of the Food and Drug Administration’s decision last week allowing retail pharmacies to stock and dispense abortion pills in states where they’re legal.

“We want people to be uncomfortable going into a CVS that has a demonstration going on and to consider going to a different pharmacy,” said Caroline Smith, a leader of the group Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising.

Pharmacies in 18 states are barred from dispensing the drugs either because abortion is illegal in most circumstances or because patients can only get the pills directly from a physician. More GOP-controlled states are expected to enact pill-specific restrictions this year — including states where abortion is already banned.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

CVS and Rite Aid have begun rationing emergency contraceptives amid a spike in demand just days after the Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to abortion.

CVS said it will temporarily limit the purchase of Plan B and Aftera to three packs per customer. A spokesperson said Monday that while the drugstore chain has “ample supply” of the products both online and in-store, the cap is meant to “ensure equitable access and consistent supply on store shelves.”

Rite Aid also is limiting purchases to three per customer, spokesperson said Monday, also citing rising demand.

[The overturn of Roe does not affect emergency contraceptives]

Pardon me for asking what may be an odd question...

But why the increased demand here? Are people pre-planning their unplanned pregnancies?

With abortion access being in jeopardy in certain states, I would expect to see the increased demand pointed toward condoms and birth control pills (or at least the demand for those to things rivaling that of emergency contraception)

 

[Desk trauma]

With abortion access being in jeopardy in certain states, I would expect to see the increased demand pointed toward condoms and birth control pills (or at least the demand for those to things rivaling that of emergency contraception)

Contraception is not something that is being targeted, yet, so there is no impetus to stock up for future need.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Contraception is not something that is being targeted, yet, so there is no impetus to stock up for future need.

Per the OP: "[The overturn of Roe does not affect emergency contraceptives]"

And the OPs statement appears to be correct

President Biden Just Signed An Executive Order To Protect Plan B

It aims to safeguard access to medication abortion and emergency contraception.

www.womenshealthmag.com

So why would be people be stocking up on Plan B in this scenario?

I'm guessing it's either
A) misunderstanding of the laws of their state and the implications of the SCOTUS ruling

B) they were maybe anticipating on engaging in irresponsible behavior, and with the abortion option off the table as an "I did something stupid" safety net, looking to the method they see as the "next best convenient option"? Which I find to be just the slightest bit ironic, given that increased leveraging of Plan B to begin with would've been reducing the need for abortions all along.

 

[Desk trauma]

Per the OP: "[The overturn of Roe does not affect emergency contraceptives]"

Clarence was clear that he wants to see a challenge to rulings protected contraception, the people that remark was aimed at listened. That's the next battel for anti-abortion groups now that they have the ability to legally ban abortion.

So why would be people be stocking up on Plan B in this scenario?

Because they have been paying attention. Contraception is the next campaign and Plan B is the first battle.

 

[Hans Blaster]

Paranoia is not partisan. Neither is misconstruing current events.

The "pro-lifers" may be going after contraception next (and some have made it clear they plan to), and states might start passing anti-contraception laws, and the Supreme Court may rule to make contraception bans legal, but... all of those will take some time.

This seems no different than the panic buying of guns because a few members of congress hold a press conference announcing their plans to submit a bill (that probably wont pass) to restrict sales of semi-automatic rifles or panic buying of bread because the grocery stores might be closed tomorrow (and tomorrow only) because of a pending snow storm.

 

[Pommer]

Paranoia is not partisan. Neither is misconstruing current events.

The "pro-lifers" may be going after contraception next (and some have made it clear they plan to), and states might start passing anti-contraception laws, and the Supreme Court may rule to make contraception bans legal, but... all of those will take some time.

This seems no different than the panic buying of guns because a few members of congress hold a press conference announcing their plans to submit a bill (that probably wont pass) to restrict sales of semi-automatic rifles or panic buying of bread because the grocery stores might be closed tomorrow (and tomorrow only) because of a pending snow storm.

Those who yearn for “how it used to be” do not tend to be the people for whom things changed (so that they could use the same public facilities that other “more equal” citizens used all of the time).

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Because they have been paying attention. Contraception is the next campaign and Plan B is the first battle.

panic buying of bread because the grocery stores might be closed tomorrow (and tomorrow only) because of a pending snow storm... Supreme Court may rule to make contraception bans legal, but... all of those will take some time.

But Plan B has an expiration date. Depending on when the store got their inventory, the pills being purchased may hit their expiration date within a year (at which point they lose efficacy)

As you said, it will take some time for such a ruling.

To stick with the bread snowstorm analogy, it'd be like buying 30 loaves of bread in preparation for a snow storm that, unless one's planning on having 10 sandwiches a day, most of that bread is going to expire.


Buying more than 3 Plan B's (that could expire in the next year) seems like the same kind of thing. Unless a person is planning on having more than 3 unplanned pregnancies in a year? Even planned parenthood doesn't recommend taking the Plan B contraception more than 3 times in a year due to the fact that it has the propensity to cause irregular bleeding when taken more frequently.

If someone was concerned about pregnancies in the long term and contraception availability implications of the scotus ruling, it would seem that (and planned parenthood agrees) IUDs that remain highly effective for 5 years would be a better planning strategy.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

Pardon me for asking what may be an odd question...

But why the increased demand here? Are people pre-planning their unplanned pregnancies?

With abortion access being in jeopardy in certain states, I would expect to see the increased demand pointed toward condoms and birth control pills (or at least the demand for those to things rivaling that of emergency contraception)

Plan B has a relatively long shelf-life (~4 years), unlike condoms, and does not require a prescription, unlike hormonal birth control. Also, I think there's a reasonable fear that emergency contraceptive measures like Plan B will be the next target - I don't think there's any realistic prospect of condoms being banned in anything like the near future.

Also, Plan B may be some women's only method of protection in the event of a sexual assault. Rapists don't always have the courtesy to wear a condom, and not every woman can be (or wants to be) on birth control.

 

[Shane R]

“We want people to be uncomfortable going into a CVS that has a demonstration going on and to consider going to a different pharmacy,” said Caroline Smith,

This person is not real bright. The end is the same: the shopper gets the pills.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Plan B has a relatively long shelf-life (~4 years), unlike condoms, and does not require a prescription, unlike hormonal birth control. Also, I think there's a reasonable fear that emergency contraceptive measures like Plan B will be the next target - I don't think there's any realistic prospect of condoms being banned in anything like the near future.

Also, Plan B may be some women's only method of protection in the event of a sexual assault. Rapists don't always have the courtesy to wear a condom, and not every woman can be (or wants to be) on birth control.

Right, but why would one be stocking up on more than 3?

Per my previous post, if you get them right at the cusp of manufacturing date, they may be good for 4 years. However, planned parenthood cautions people about checking the expire date since pharmacies can sell them as long as there's a year left until the expiration. (which makes sense, because it's supposed to be an ad-hoc usage that you purchase and use when the need arises)

Obviously assaults as you mention are an unfortunate reality, so I could understand maybe wanting to have a few on hand.

But realistically speaking, what's the likelihood of someone having more than 3+ unplanned pregnancies in a 1-4 year time window due to assault? Do you think that's really the impetus behind the majority of these bulk purchases that CVS is trying to prevent? Or could it be more likely that people still want to have the luxury of having a safety net to compensate for some irresponsible activity they plan on engaging in?

 

[hislegacy]

So, the morning after pill is now called 'emergency contraception'.

What a wonderful pill - get examined and take the pill that makes you bleed excessively. Modern medicine is so wonderful!

Did the name change help - maybe we can call it the happy happy Daisey sunshine pill

 

[RocksInMyHead]

Realistically speaking, what's the likelihood of someone having more than 3+ unplanned pregnancies in a 1-4 year time window due to assault?

Plan B is not a medical abortion pill. It's an emergency contraceptive that inhibits implantation. You have a window of 1-5 days (the sooner the better though) after having sex for it to work - long before you'd know you were pregnant. Condom breaks? Might want to take a Plan B the next morning. Get caught up in the moment and didn't have condoms? Plan B. Raped? Plan B.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

So, the morning after pill is now called 'emergency contraception'.

What a wonderful pill - get examined and take the pill that makes you bleed excessively. Modern medicine is so wonderful!

Did the name change help - maybe we can call it the happy happy Daisey sunshine pill

Emergency contraception is the accurate name for it. It's a pill that blocks ovulation, blocks fertilization, and prevents an egg from implanting. It's preventing the pregnancy from occurring (rather than terminating it after it's already happened) so it still falls under the umbrella of contraception.

However, I would concur that it comes with some risks and was never intended to be regularly used prevention strategy (for the reasons you mentioned), and people wanting to rush to CVS and buy 10 in one shopping trip would indicate to me that there are at least some people who are intending to use it as a "regular" safety net.

That's why Planned Parenthood (which I'm sure we'd all agree isn't pro-life by any means) advised against it and their guidance even says you shouldn't be using Plan B more than 3 times a year due to the fact that such excessive usage can lead to irregular periods and bleeding. And advises that if you're using it that much, it's time to talk to your doctor about other contraception methods like the pill or an IUD.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Plan B is not a medical abortion pill. It's an emergency contraceptive that inhibits implantation. You have a window of 1-5 days (the sooner the better though) after having sex for it to work - long before you'd know you were pregnant. Condom breaks? Might want to take a Plan B the next morning. Get caught up in the moment and didn't have condoms? Plan B. Raped? Plan B.

Correct, as I mentioned in my reply to the other user, it still falls under the umbrella of contraception. And it's much needed in certain circumstances.

But are those circumstances you mentioned so frequent that one needs to be buying more than 3 at a time?

If someone is "getting caught up in the moment, completely unprepared" more than 3 times a year, it would seem as if it's time for a life strategy adjustment and not stocking up on more Plan B. It's called "Plan B" for a reason, in that it's supposed to a backup approach and not something one should plan on taking regularly.

As noted, the assault situation is completely justifiable in terms of wanting to have 1 or 2 on-hand (for a person who's doing everything else right), and an occasionally condom breaking can be another valid reason. However, if someone is saying that CVS's capping at 3 per customer is "too stringent", that indicates to me that they were planning on relying on it a little more than they should and maybe it's time to discuss some options with their doctor.

 

[RocksInMyHead]

Correct, as I mentioned in my reply to the other user, it still falls under the umbrella of contraception. And it's much needed in certain circumstances.

But are those circumstances you mentioned so frequent that one needs to be buying more than 3 at a time?

For everyone? No. But for someone who is sexually active and can't use hormonal birth control or an IUD for whatever reason? Definitely - condoms can break or be sabotaged. Previously, such a person might risk the chance of pregnancy in order to avoid the Plan B side effects because they knew that they would have the option of abortion in the unlikely event that they actually became pregnant, but now that they may not have that option available, they're more likely to just take the Plan B. And as I said, there's some fear that Plan B might be the next target for the anti-abortion lobby, so they want to make sure that they have some on-hand in case of emergency.

There's probably also a bit of panic-buying going on. Much like how everyone cleans out the milk, bread, and eggs from the grocery store any time it looks like a few snowflakes might fall. Do they actually need five loaves of bread, ten gallons of milk, and a gross of eggs to last out the few hours before the plows clear the road? Almost certainly not. But they buy them anyways because WHAT IF?!?

 

[hislegacy]

Plan B is not a medical abortion pill. It's an emergency contraceptive that inhibits implantation. You have a window of 1-5 days (the sooner the better though) after having sex for it to work - long before you'd know you were pregnant. Condom breaks? Might want to take a Plan B the next morning. Get caught up in the moment and didn't have condoms? Plan B. Raped? Plan B.

That is the morning after pill.

Please stop with the raped bilingual. You really think all those woman are stocking up on the pills out fear of being raped?

 

[Desk trauma]

That is the morning after pill.

Which is a slag term for emergency contraception.