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GUEST: Amy Moy, Associate Vice President of Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood, Golden Gate

Last Wednesday, members of Congress introduced new legislation into the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate that would guarantee women access to birth control. Although an overwhelming majority of women use birth control at some point in their lives, there have been documented cases in 19 states of pharmacy refusals to fill contraceptive prescriptions. Pharmacists who have refused women birth control have usually done so citing “moral and religious” concerns. Rep. Carolyn Maloney and Sen. Frank Lautenberg believe that the ABC or Access to Birth Control bill that they have introduced will put an end to the practice of pharmacy refusals. The ABC bill would mandate that if a pharmaceutical employee happens to refuse a prescription for birth control, another employee on staff must fill the prescription without discrimination or delay. In cases where a pharmacy does not carry the requested birth control in stock, another pharmacy that does must be found and the prescription must be transferred.