This week, rules were approved to allow Arizona patients 18 years old and older to access contraceptives at their local pharmacy without a doctor’s prescription. A standing order allows pharmacists to provide patients with needed birth control including hormonal contraceptive patches, vaginal rings, and oral contraceptives.
During the 2021 Legislative Session, Senate Bill 1082, sponsored by Senator Michelle Ugenti-Rita, was passed into law and signed by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. The Board of Pharmacy proposed rules just approved by the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council to guide implementation of the program throughout Arizona.
Arizona joins more than 20 other states that have implemented statutes or regulations allowing licensed and trained pharmacists to dispense United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved self-administered hormonal contraceptives to patients without an individualized prescription.
ADHS has issued a statewide standing order for self-administered hormonal birth control to aid implementation of the statute, enabling patients to visit pharmacies in their community to obtain the contraceptives, a critical factor for expanding access and services. This order was written with the collaborative input of the Arizona section of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Arizona Board of Pharmacy and the Arizona Pharmacy Association.