Illinois' Latest Action to Protect Women's Access to Birth Control Represents a Win for All Consumers

Washington, D.C. – Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, praised the approval of a rule in Illinois requiring pharmacies to inform consumers of their legal right to prescription medication, including birth control.

Keenan said this latest step further establishes Gov. Rod Blagojevich as a national leader in protecting women's access to prescription contraceptives as anti-choice pharmacists in Illinois and across the country are refusing to fill legal medical prescriptions.

"Illinois residents should thank Gov. Blagojevich for standing up for women's health and privacy. Gov. Blagojevich's actions reflect the values of freedom and personal responsibility—and that means timely access to birth control that could prevent unintended pregnancies and reduce the need for abortion," Keenan said. "The governor's latest proactive step to guarantee that pharmacies fill valid birth-control prescriptions makes Illinois a clear leader among the states. We need more states to follow the Illinois model, especially since 18 states considered measures this year that would allow pharmacies or pharmacists to refuse to fill prescriptions for contraception."

NARAL Pro-Choice America, which has 22,201 member activists in Illinois, submitted comments supporting the proposal as it moved through the approval process. Gov. Blagojevich's leadership has garnered strong support from NARAL Pro-Choice America's online activists, who named him "Hero of the Year" in 2005 for filing an emergency rule – made permanent last year - requiring pharmacies to fill prescriptions for contraceptives. 

Contact:
Ted Miller, 202.973.3032