I question if this will become a "may allow" or "shall allow" state. Some pharmacists will object on religious grounds and then we have to deal with that mess. I'd like to see this pass with some kind of clause preventing religion to interfere.

Imagine having any other response to this than, ok sure, why not? Why do we live in the time line where this is an issue?

I actually read the title post and became confused.

Same, I was like, wait it's not?.. why!?

Make it otc with a signature like pseudoephedrine...

Who gives out birth control now?

really?

Two Republican senators, Ryan Fazio of Greenwich and Heather Somers, already have filed a bill similar to what Lamont outlined Monday.

Separately, lawmakers from both parties also have proposed at least two bills in Connecticut legalizing the sale in vending machines of the emergency contraceptive known as Plan B and the morning-after pill.

​

okay so this is happening. Ds have a 2/3 majority in the assembly anyways, but there are even a couple of R supporters

I have no issues with this, as long as it’s for persons 18+

It's a prescribed medicine, should be a doctor or clinic. Pharmacists have enough to do filling scripts. Everyone should stay in their lane. This is stupid.

Why remove religion from the equation when we can continue to let the backward teachings of omnipotent entities who have no proof of existence dictate our daily lives?

I was actually going to bring this up. Those who object to birth control due to religious reasons also seem to forget that birth control is used for more than just not getting pregnant

Hell why stop there, think of all the promotions we're missing out on.

Buy an ounce of our new Connecticut weed and get a free abortion coupon.

Got links to that Republican bill?

Smells like bullshit.

E: Yeah it's bullshit. Not even a real bill. Just one sentence, practically written in crayon. Zero shot it's going to pass.

Most of this dude's bills are identical. Pie in the sky headlines, zero chance of passing into law without being completely rewritten by someone competent, or, I should say, even written in the first place. Full of tax cuts for the super rich and benefit cuts for the poor. https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=SB00171&which_year=2023

Or you could just not be a reactionary.

Then maybe they should find other lines of work.

Filing a one line proposed bill without language is standard at the start of session. If others support the concept, the committee can vote to “draft” it into a full bill.

Primary care doctors are currently able to object on religious grounds.

I'll need a citation on that standard. Willing to be corrected. Amendments? Sure.

Not something like this. They at least copy and paste a few paragraphs some lawyer sent in.

I guess you think it's going to pass too, or do we at least half agree?

This but unironically

They don't forget, they just don't care. Being able to get pregnant when their god wants you to is more important than health to them.

They should, but those kinds of religious crazies get those jobs specifically for the chance to inflict their silly fake Jesus on people who need goods and services. My driving instructor was one of them. Get a few teenagers in the car away from family and friends, feeling nervous and vulnerable, and then spend that time pounding them with Jesus.

Some religions make you a worse person while making you feel like a good person.

As long as the people who need it the most are still screwed over, it's good?

Bro pharmacists are so slammed as it is at chain pharmacies, they won’t have the time to do this and when and where will they be able to review the patients medical charts and discuss with them the pros and cons of the medication in private.

No, quite the opposite really.

THIS is what I'm trying to say but people are so reactionary I'm getting downvoted .

Walk me through it. Why must the people who most direly need to avoid an unplanned pregnancy, and are more likely to make risky decisions, be kept from birth control?

They shouldn’t, but they should be seeing a doctor before taking it.

Look at the list of bills filed in the house last wednesday. Plenty of one-sentence concepts. https://www.cga.ct.gov/2023/lob/h/pdf/2023HLB00118-R00-LOB.pdf

I’d expect the governors bill will have more legs than that of some random member of the minority party

Doctors and nurse practioners write prescriptions. Pharmacists fill them.

Make time or hire another pharmacist. CVS can afford it this is of the upmost importance

If anyone disputes this: respond to this comment

Or just downvote it. You’re the pussy, not me.

CVS can totally afford it. It’s about increasing access to care. I mean shoot, they’re giving COVID vaccines. They can also rx BC.

You obviously don’t understand how this works, so the arrogance of “I’ll need a citation” instead of looking it up yourself is…. Interesting.

What are you so miffy about? Mad you have to wait in line to get your antidepressants? Imagine being PREGNANT

Because birth control can have some negative side effects that should probably be discussed with an OBGYN or at Planned Parenthood. And it's good in case you're experiencing any bad side effects to work through and talk to a doctor about your options/changing any medication. I've been on the pill for years and got started at Planned Parenthood.

But why? A pharmacist is more than qualified to provide the necessary information to start birth control. In many ways probably more qualified than a typical family practitioner, given they'll typically have a better understanding of how the drugs work.

Modern birth control pills have fewer health risks than OTC painkillers like Tylenol and Advil. This is pure gatekeeping without scientific or medical reasoning.

I'm assuming folks would consult with a doc before going on it.. but afterwards unless there is complications with it, like who gives a shit? Ya know..

You are not wrong. Last month I had a prescription filled but the pharmacy was so slammed with customers and short staffed the pharmacist lost my filled prescription. Took damn near 4 hours for him to find it…. It was in another customers script bag……

That being said the dude was upset and apologized profusely but I have a lot of respect for him because of how he handles angry customers.

Probably just feel bad for the pharmacists who are already stretched beyond thin, it's not like cvs or rite aid actually care about them or the techs. Constantly dealing with angry customers, insurance companies denying medications, and having to tell people their live saving medication isn't covered really mentally wears a person down.

Your comment has nothing to do with birth control, that’s a pharmaceutical issue and it’s CVS fault.

You can buy Plan B which in some cases is the equivalent of taking 8 birth control pills at once

If they want to provide and charge for the service, they’ll figure it out. It’s not mandating that all prescribe, but it is giving the option.

That has absolutely nothing to do with this bill. I think the people you’re pissed at are the drug users who hold up the line, or the fact that CVS won’t have 2 pharmacists on the clock.

They’re not making them do anything. They’re expanding who CAN rx.

My comment has nothing to do with the article, I was responding to the commenter about the pharmacy issues. Don’t be so nit picky.

Oh lord I just realized I interacted with a keyboard warrior 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

I'm a pharmacist, I work in a hybrid retail/specialty pharmacy location. I am all for this increase in access to care but feel like this would only make sense for places like mine because we actually have time to counsel and interact with patients. Regular retail pharmacists are getting hammered. Reimbursements from insurance companies are shit so these pharmacies run tight budgets, eliminating the "hire more pharmacists" argument. This will just get added on to the million other tasks that are piled on by corporate, thus making your wait times longer.

You do understand CVS can hire more pharmacists?

Because it makes no sense to be worried. If cvs wants to do this, they totally can, and they have space for it — minute clinic — or will create space for it. They can and will hire more staff or spend what’s needed to make that money. They’ll be fine.

But most importantly, they’re not making pharmacists provide this service, they’re trying to make it so they can rx and expand access.

Pharmacists don't take the Hippocratic Oath.

> or the fact that CVS won’t have 2 pharmacists on the clock.

Exclusively this one

I was under the assumption that your doctors just refill it for you until your next yearly where they will renew the script, and I think that's reasonable considering our bodies are always changing and it shouldn't be a one and done. I don't think anyone should be comfortable putting their health solely into the hands of a pharmacist. Hormones aren't things to be messed around with, ya know?

Edit: I think it's more important to focus on organizations like Planned Parenthood that can help folks get access to the proper health care they need (in all regards) and that includes access to birth control, exams, etc.

All I’m gonna say is this, then I’m done interacting with you, I have better things to do with my time.

You’re only worried about your issues and your opinions and to busy trying to change other people’s minds and opinions. Which is a losing battle btw.

You have zero empathy for the issues facing pharmacists and the actual people, adding more responsibility to already short staffed companies (who won’t hire because it hurts their profit margins)

And with that, I’m done. Have fun clacking away into the Ether.

Yeah totally true I’m just here cause I get stupid defensive when people put unnecessary restrictions on other body.. especially for dogmatic reasons.

No I 100% agree! And the overturn of Roe v Wade has been terrifying. I've just seen first hand the bad complications birth control has, and I think protecting people's rights to abortion, bodily autonomy, ease of access to health care and programs like Planned Parenthood is super important, especially right now.

Your first statement had me not read your entire post. Before you insult someone, don’t do it in the first paragraph.

Doesn't sound like it would be a requirement for pharmacies to do this though, just an option. The problem is with business management, as usual

You're right I should have just replied with "no you're wrong" instead of....gasp....asking for evidence. What was I thinking.

I did click around for a while. And do somewhat regularly, when a bill interests me professionally.

Can't say in all my years I remember seeing so many one liners as I did from Fazio. Virtually all of his bills.

Even clicking random bills from random other reps and senators, I didn't find any.

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I don’t own Walgreens or CVS. Why are you telling me to hire people for a company I don’t own? CVS it’s already a nightmare to actually talk to the pharmacist. It’s usually one or rarely two pharmacists with not enough techs and a huge line of customers. CVS and Walgreens won’t even give a window for when they will get medication delivered if it’s on back order nor will they look up other stores’ inventories to tell you where to fill your script.

How is that pregnant womens fault?

Don’t worry, I surely didn’t think you owned a CVS or Walgreens

> I'm assuming folks would consult with a doc before going on it..

Why not have the doctor prescribe it then? If people are going to a doctor first what's even the point of this bill

Pharmacists typically don't prescribe anything, they fill prescriptions given by a doctor.

Then allow them to sell it over the counter. Pharmacists don't prescribe medication, doctors do. This bill is really weird.

I'm gonna assume it's mostly theater.. but I also believe it's opening more channels for people to receive birth control. Less restrictions means it's harder to attack.. cause this is just another fight in the rights war on women's body autonomy.

I remember a George Carlin routine from the 70s where he joked about over-the-counter birth control names. He had said eventually they would be over-the-counter, and the current setup is really silly -- "Ladies have to go in, 'Here's my note!'".

Fifty years later, they still need prescriptions for it.

I know responding to you is a lost cause but I’ll do it anyway. You of course realize that ready access to birth control drastically decreases the number of abortions because you don’t have to abort a pregnancy if you never get pregnant in the first place?

Yeah actually. You can go into bad withdrawals if you suddenly stop an ssri or snri.

I don’t understand your point? I’m saying the pharmacists are swamped as is and probably shouldn’t be writing scripts in between playing catch up filling orders. While I support greater access to birth control, a person should be seen by a doctor, specialist or aprn (people with the right education and experience and know the patients medical history) to make sure that it’s safe for the patient to go on birth control.

The issue is women’s ability to have access and to establish/maintain patient doctor relationship (I’m saying they are a recurring patient to the same doctor and that doctor is taking ownership of their care) for pcp, specialists etc….in private without their parents, partners, family, whoever having input or knowledge of them seeking birth control.

The other issue is privacy for teens on their parents or guardians health insurance or adults on their parents…usually after each medical appointment a bill or statement goes to who ever has the policy.

True

I did GR in CT for 6 years. This is a well-established norm.

Yeah…. Nah. Nobody is adding more to their plates. They have the training to be able to properly administer BC. It’s an option to start writing them. If someone is overwhelmed, they won’t.

I strongly recommend you take a step back and see what this actually is before responding again.

Did you even read the article?

Anytime I’ve been on a SSRI I’ve quit cold Turkey, withdraws are for pussies.

You know what was difficult? Pregnancy

One sentence, no reference to any statute or code to be changed?

GR people at least kick language around.

Do you understand how babies are made and how birth control works? Your tone and comments make it seem like you don’t at all.

And it seems like you think birth control is currently illegal and this is the only way for woman to access it in our state.

No I don’t. Can you explain it to me?

Yeah I did. I’m talking how cvs and Walgreens staff their pharmacies, they’re usually understaffed as is. It’s just allowing pharmacists to write scripts for birth control pills. I’m saying people should be an established patient with a pcp doctor at the least to mitigate rare but possible side effects or complications. But if this helps I’m for it.

What?

Sigh. Do you even know what GR stands for?

Nah you didn’t. Have a good one

Pregnancy wasn't difficult for me. I was in labor for over 30hrs

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Yea, no

You do know that in the scheme of things, down votes on reddit are incredibly unimportant.

....

Being pregnant and giving birth is a fucking breeze. Labor pains are for pussies.

Unfortunately removing the prescription requirements entirely would require federal action, it’s not within the powers of state governments. The most they can do under current regulation is to allow it to be prescribed by pharmacists (which 7 states currently allow) but it’s still an improvement over the current hurdles.

Modern Birth control pills have fewer health risks than OTC Tylenol and Advil. Are you in favor of those two medications becoming prescription only then?

Modern birth control pills have fewer documented instances of side effects and are demonstrably safer than otc Advil and Tylenol, but I don’t see anyone demanding those be prescription only from your PCP.

I’m very confused. No clue what article you read but what was proposed is letting pharmacists write scripts for birth control pills. There is a provision in the bill that allows aprns and pa’s to preform suction abortions. APRN’s and PA’s are not pharmacists. They don’t work behind the counters at the pharmacy. It had nothing to do with my comment about how cvs and Walgreens understaffing their pharmacies. Nor did I say I was against abortion or against increasing access to birth control. I just said it would be better to increase women’s access and privacy to primary care doctors instead having the busy pharmacist write scripts because it would reduce chances of very rare but possible side effects.

Define fewer risks. Are they known or unknown risks by the general public? Quantify that and compare them to me. Second, this bill does not remove the need for a prescription. If CVS had an aprn or doctor or pa on staff to write the scripts, review medical history, answer questions and ask some questions to make sure every is okay…I’m fine with that.

Best site your sources dude. It's probably not wise to risk something major like a blood clot because you don't want to see a doctor for a BC prescription and to keep up to date, on that as well as yearly check ups. While you say they are rare they can still happen. I've literally heard so many instances of people having complications from the pill, IUD and the implants.

I wasn't aware of that, now this makes a lot of sense. Thank you.

This is clearly just trying to Elicit a response. Both my kids were 9 pounders.

I applaud your shit attempt at trolling

Not a dude. “Less risk” doesn’t mean “no risk” — it simply means the risk profile is below or on par with over the counter medications.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/birth-control-pills-are-safe-and-simple-why-do-they-require-a-prescription/

Also relevant: most progestin only pills are not associated with any increased risk in blood clots according to studies cited in the above article.

The increased risk only exists for combination pills, and even then it’s small - between 3-9 out of 10,000, vs 1-5 out of 10,000 without the pill.

This risk profile is extremely simple to filter out via simple self reported health surveys — for those who report they have a family history of clots, experience migraines, or are smokers - progestin only pills. This is the exact extent of risk profiling your doctor will do when it comes to prescribing the pill.

No one is arguing for pharmacists to be inserting iuds or implants in the middle of cvs, so this is really only relevant to the pill.

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https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/birth-control-pills-are-safe-and-simple-why-do-they-require-a-prescription/

Lmao yeah, you really have no clue what you’re talking about here but I see that you think you do, while being too arrogant to look up a VERY COMMON convention of the lawmaking process…

So again, have a good day.

Big fucking deal, stop whining.

You want to say that to my face? Or are you just a keyboard warrior? Living In your parents basement

Lmao they came at you with “but there are known knowns, known unknowns, and unknown unknowns” and they never thought to consider their own “unknown knowns” — the shii they don’t know that they don’t know but others do.

He ain’t gonna read the article you linked, he didn’t even read the one in the post judging by the other thread he’s in with me. 😂

Some people just think they know it all already and can’t be told that they don’t. This is one of them.

Arrogance tbh.

Because I can promise you, you won’t be saying much

Shit attempt? You went to my profile and remarked on old posts, I think I trolled you perfectly.

That’s great so by now you should know my name. Come visit

dude, I take you and your loose vag lips any day of the week.

They’ve been all on my comment calling them out for blowing smoke but can’t reply to your evidence that they don’t know what they’re talking about lmao

Lol

I’m sorry you’re on SSRIS clearly they’re a must.

As long as I don’t have to look at your wrecked pussy.

Have much do you drink? I’m betting you start at breakfast with your mommy juice.

You won’t don’t worry, that’s for rich men.

Okay troll

Before 8 am

Oh you’re a whore. Gotcha.

Sorry I know you don’t know the feeling of being desired. You fat ugly piece of shit. And yes I know who you are

“High” Jeanette

How’s your moms house treating you?

Don’t worry, I’ll see you in a bit

You are very lonely and a weird person lol. Using 2 accounts to harass me for supporting the expansion of bc access in our state…simply because I stated pharmacists at chain pharmacies are spread too thin and voiced I would like women to be provided greater and more private access to doctors? Really weird man. Then you claim I didn’t read the short ass article, which I did and summarized it. Im not sure if you are mentally all there but you don’t seem okay nor have you made a logical point. What’s more bizarre, it seems you have read a completely different article and you seem to misreading my comments. I hope you stabilize.

You want birth control to be available without a prescription, fine but that’s not what this proposal is about. You keep restating, pregnant in capital letters which again is odd.

Hope for the best for you sir. If you want to start taking birth control or get an abortion, have at it, have fun. Best of luck bro!

And maybe the other oddly hyper aggressive commenter and you can become friends and go outside touch grass interact. Seek drug and mental health treatment.

Who pissed in your cornflakes this morning?

Then why have doctors at all?

Say someone is on their birth control and are in between doctors. It can take months to get an annual in (I set mine up for MAY at the beginning of the month and I am due in march) as a new patient.

A pharmacist being able to fill a script in the meantime would be very helpful.

Also, the recommendation for women with no complications is every two years, not yearly.

Because pharmacist specialize in drugs and their interactions, they don’t specialize in being a practicing doctor. It’s not a black and white thing.

I'm not really dead against it but just feel that it's sad that ending a life has become easier for us as a society than taking a little personal responsibility.

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[deleted]

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Gotcha

Those Republicans represent seats that Biden won quite heavily. 61% of Fazio’s district voted for Biden, and 53% of Somer’s district. So in order to win they both need to win over a substantial number of Biden voters, and they do that by taking these kinds of positions.

Not a fan of those republicans, but that is what every proposed bill always looks like. Proposed bills are filed by individual lawmakers, not by committees. Committee Bills are what actually become law, but it is normal for them to be based on the barebones concepts that are in proposed bills.

It is about allowing pharmacists to do this. If they don’t want to they don’t have to, but they are likely to be able to make more of a profit if they are able to do this so I would expect some pharmacies to start to offer this out of self interested greed

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Uhhh not to interrupt your conspiracy theory or anything, but you realize I’m… not the above poster? Get well soon, man.

Kids have a lot more side effects. Birth control is just more hormones that we all (female) have

Right, which is why a pharmacist shouldn’t be prescribing things to a patient that hasn’t been assessed by a doctor. Pharmacists don’t have access to medical history beyond what you’ve been prescribed previously, and often times not even that. IF the drug is so harmless that it can be dispensed to a minor upon request without examination, it should not be prescription based at all. It should be over the counter.

…..dude you’re beyond help. It hasn’t. First of all, it’s not a life it’s a fetus, it’s not a life until its born, read your bible. Besides, No one is getting an abortion for funsies. No one is doing it casually. And the absolute best method to prevent ever considering have to get it is not getting pregnant in the first place using birth control methods.

Or they could make at least some OTC as was tried last decade, which was shot down by Democrats.

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/244448-senate-dems-rebuke-gops-over-the-counter-birth-control-bill/

Wtf?

I blocked them. It’s just weird.

Religion is emotional masturbation.