Emergency Contraception
EC=(MC)2, Emergency Contraception and Minor Consent Made Clear, is now complete, thanks to funding from San Francisco’s Gerbode Foundation. The project addressed EC and access issues for young people from a legal, medical, social, and financial perspective. AHWG collaborated with the National Center for Youth Law, the UCSF Division of Adolescent Medicine, the marketing firm Social Planets, and the Department of Human Services to capitalize on the availablity of EC in pharmacies (a result of the recently enacted California Senate Bill 1169) and to increase youth and provider knowledge about sexual health options. The project included a youth outreach campaign and provider education and training.

As many of you know, California is only the second state (after Washington state) to allow EC availability in pharmacies without a prescription. As more states begin to pass similar laws, we hope that EC=(MC)2 will help set the tone for addressing young people’s unique needs with respect to reproductive and sexual health. Emergency Contraception has been used for many decades and has been found to be safe, although there can be unpleasant side effects such as nausea.

If you’re interested in learning more about the project, please contact Dr. Janet Shalwitz at janet@ahwg.net.

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