Access to contraception in pharmacies during the COVID-19 pandemic

As a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, shifts in traditional contraception access points have presented new challenges, leading people to seek alternative sources of contraception care, including pharmacies. Pharmacists in one-fourth of U.S. states are able to prescribe hormonal contraception, a model known as pharmacy access. Pharmacy access became available in California in 2016 and in Colorado in 2017.

To characterize how access to contraception products and services in pharmacies changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, including pharmacist prescribing practices and innovations in service delivery.

We conducted a cross-sectional survey among California and Colorado pharmacists from September to October 2020. Survey questions included pharmacist and pharmacy practice site characteristics, prescribing practices, pharmacist perspectives, and pharmacy services in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 128 pharmacists participated in the study, with 38% (n = 49) from California and 62% (n = 79) from Colorado. Among participants, 41% (n = 53) prescribed contraception, of which 94% (n = 50) continued, 4% (n = 2) started, and 2% (n = 1) suspended during the pandemic. Most participants reported interest (79%) and effort (75%) in prescribing contraception to be about the same during the pandemic. Community need for contraceptive services was perceived to be slightly or much higher (45%) or about the same (47%). Patient interest in pharmacy access was perceived to be slightly or much higher by 26% and about the same by 57% of the participants. When distributing contraception prescriptions, pharmacies increased curbside (from 12% to 52%), home delivery (from 40% to 60%), and mailing options (from 41% to 71%) during the pandemic.

Pharmacists prescribing hormonal contraception who participated in this study remained committed to providing this service during the pandemic. Some perceived increased community need for contraception and patient interest in direct pharmacy access. There was an increase in options for patients to receive contraception prescriptions with minimal contact.