PHOENIX — As early as Thursday, women should be able to walk into a local Arizona pharmacy and get birth control pills — but only if the pharmacist is willing and believes you're a good candidate for it.
The action comes as the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council gave final approval Wednesday to allowing pharmacists to dispense contraceptives without the specific annual prescription from a doctor that has been required until now. Instead, a standing order by the Department of Health Services is all that’s required.
All that was missing late Wednesday was formal blessing of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. But that organization not only testified in favor of the original 2021 legislation but also submitted a letter in May to the Arizona Board of Pharmacy endorsing the new rule and saying it "will decrease access barriers to contraception yet still maintain the clinician consultation for the patient.''
