Emergency Contraception

PHARMACY ACCESS TO EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION (EC)

Maine explicitly allows pharmacists to provide emergency contraception (EC) directly to women without a prescription.  A pharmacist may dispense EC to a woman under standardized procedures or protocols developed by an authorized prescriber and the pharmacist.

A pharmacist must provide all EC recipients with a standardized fact sheet that includes the indications for use of EC, the appropriate method for using EC, the need for medical follow-up and referral information, information on sexual assault and referral information, and other appropriate information.  The State Board of Pharmacy is charged with developing the fact sheet.

All pharmacists dispensing EC must first complete an EC training program that includes conduct of sensitive communications, quality assurance, referral to additional services, and documentation.

Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 32, §§ 13821-13825 (Enacted 2004).