February 14, 2007

Birth Control Prices Through the Roof

Posted by Jamia Wilson at 12:35AM

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It is outrageous that campuses across the nation -- from Bowdoin College to NYU -- are facing unreasonable hikes in birth control prices. Birth control is often one of the most prescribed medications for campus health care centers. It is saddening to know that students who were used to getting birth control for either no cost or a minimal $5-$15 fee, will now be forced to pay double the amount.

It is downright shameful that pharmaceutical companies are increasing their prices in recent contract deals... This action harms so many women who need to protect their health and safety by using oral contraceptives. It is hard for me to believe that huge pharmaceutical empires like Organon can't afford to keep their mass distributed birth control pills cheap.

Young women are being marginalized by this pricing increase because only women with economic means will be able to prevent unplanned pregnancy...

College campuses are one of the key places where access to affordable reproductive health care is crucial. Pharmaceutical companies must be pressured and held accountable. Instead of forcing women to put their reproductive health in jeopardy, they should promote ethical practices and basic moral values by continuing to offer deals where colleges can make affordable services available for students.

In the meantime, thank goodness students will be able to go to their local Planned Parenthood to pay on a sliding scale.

It's unfortunate that this price increase could cost students who are paying thousands of dollars a year and facing tremendous college debt almost $360 a year when they used to pay $36-50 a year. I urge students on campus to raise awareness about this issue on campus and in their communities, lobby for pharmaceutical companies to be increasingly regulated, and to encourage your friends and family to donate to Planned Parenthood and campus health centers so they can make birth control available for people in need.