Lawmakers consider three measures that aim to change current policy regarding the distribution of emergency contraception.
New Hampshire is one of eight states that now allow pharmacists to provide emergency contraception to women without prescription…….The bills under debate don't seek a complete reversal of that policy, but do seek to impose restrictions that range form parental notification before ec can be given to minors, to insulating pharmacists who refuse to dispense the medication……The most sweeping provision would both protect pharmacists and require parental consent for girls under 18 to get the pills unless they were victims of rape of incest and charges had been filed……Republican Senator Bob Letourneau is the measure's lead sponsor.
"In NH no child under 18 can have a body piercing without parental consent…..no child under 18 can use a tanning booth with consent of a parent or guardian…..But NH currently allows emergency contraception -- a massive dose of hormones to be given without the child's consent or knowledge -- this is simply wrong."
If the piercing and tanning example seems familiar, it's because it is. The analogy was used by champions of parental notification for abortion, and was also trotted out last year during arguments over the current emergency contraception law…….To supporters of that policy, like Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan, the analogy misses the mark.
"If your parents deny you consent for ear piercing or tanning your health will be preserved….If they deny you consent for the morning after pill you may very well become pregnant -- and then you will be faced with even more health challenges…..whether you decide to continue the pregnancy or whether you decide to terminate it."
The argument that restricting access to emergency contraception could endanger women's health was echoed by several doctors……They also stressed that unfettered access achieves a goal shared by both sides of the debate.
"Most of use agree that we want to lower the number of abortions…..and this method has been shown in some studies to reduce the number of abortions by 50 percent."
That's Dr. Barry Smith, former head of the ob-gyn department at Dartmouth Hitchcock hospital……Smith stressed that emergency contraception has been used and used safely for many years….An argument shared by the NH medical society……Speaking on the society's behalf, Dr. Gary Sobleson further warned lawmakers against the bill's other main goal…..insulating individual phamacists who refuse to dispense the drug out of moral objections……Sobelson pointed out the current law allows only pharmacists who submit to voluntary training to hand out emergency contraception……and said allowing personal belief of a practicioner to affect any patients right to medicine set a dangerous precedent.
"If one was to presume that the personal views of a pharmacist could be used for emergency contraception……clearly there would be pharmacists of catholic religious beliefs who might not be comfortable prescribing birth control pills and there might be pharmacist of the church of scientology would not fill perscriptions for psychiatric medications."
New Hampshire isn't the only place where the debate over emergency contraception remains far from settled……Four states now allow pharmacist to refuse to dispense pills for reasons on conscience.....The board of pharmacy in Massachusetts meanwhile, has just required Wal-Mart to stock emergency contreceptions……So far, Massachusetts and Illinois in becoming the second state to force Wal-Mart's hard….While the future of NH laws remains up in the air, Governor Lynch's office says the governor supports current emergency contraception policy and sees no reason to consider changes.
