wal-mart: ordered to stock-up on ECPs

Filed in archive Miscellany on February 16, 2006

Wal-Mart has been ordered by the State Pharmacy Board to stock-up on Emergency contraception pills (commonly called "morning after" pill) in all its Massachussets stores.

The unanimous decision by the pharmacy board comes two weeks after three women, backed by abortion rights groups, sued Bentonville, Arkansas-based Wal-Mart for failing to carry the drug in its 44 Wal-Marts and four Sam's Club stores in Massachusetts.

The women had argued that state policy requires pharmacies to provide all "commonly prescribed medicines."

Under USA and UK legislation, emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) are considered to be forms of contraception. These are considered for use in occasional cases only (in events of contraceptive failure).

The term "morning-after pill" is actually misleading because ECPs are licensed for use up to 72 hours after sexual intercourse. The medical community prefers the term emergency contraception or "emergency contraceptive pills".