No Prescription Needed For Birth Control Pills In NJ Under New Law

NEW JERSEY — People who need birth control pills will soon be able to get them without a prescription in New Jersey – even if they don’t live there.

On Friday, Gov. Phil Murphy signed S-275/A- 4149, which allows New Jersey pharmacists to dispense “self-administered hormonal contraceptives” to patients without requiring a prescription. Read its full text here.

According to a statement from the governor’s office:

“Patients are typically unable to access self-administered hormonal contraceptives, including contraceptive pills, patches and rings, in New Jersey without first obtaining a prescription from a licensed health care provider. To reduce barriers to access to this critical family planning tool, the bill requires the issuance of a standing order authorizing pharmacists to furnish self-administered hormonal contraceptives to patients without an individual prescription and identifying the contraceptives that pharmacists are authorized to dispense.”

Access to contraception without a prescription will not be limited solely to New Jersey residents; pharmacists will be permitted to provide these contraceptives to patients regardless of where they live.

In order to dispense self-administered hormonal contraceptives to patients without a prescription under the bill, pharmacists will have to follow standardized procedures and protocols adopted jointly by the Board of Pharmacy and the State Board of Medical Examiners and complete a training program.

The law will take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following the date of enactment. The Board of Pharmacy and the State Board of Medical Examiners will be allowed to take any administrative actions as needed in advance of that date.

Murphy signed the law on the anniversary of another reproductive rights landmark, the Freedom of Reproductive Choice Act, which ensure access to abortions in New Jersey. That bill was rolled out several months before the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, giving the decision-making power back to states when it comes to abortion access. Read More: NJ Abortion Law Sees Fierce Controversy; Here's What It Will Do

The signing of S-275 marks another watershed moment for reproductive rights in the Garden State, Murphy said Friday.

“While many other states are working to restrict access to reproductive health care – including contraceptives – our state continues to protect this fundamental right and expand access to this critical care on behalf of all who need it,” Murphy said.

“The current requirement of an individualized prescription imposes an unnecessary burden on people who may be unable to afford or find the time to go to a health care provider for a prescription,” the governor continued. “Removing that requirement will promote health equity and ease of access to contraceptives in order to empower women to make their own reproductive choices.”

Sponsors of the legislation include Sen. Shirley Turner and Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, as well as Sen. Joseph Vitale, Assemblywoman Britnee Timberlake, Assemblywoman Angela McKnight and Assemblyman Raj Mukherji.

Turner said New Jersey is joining 20 other states, the District of Columbia and more than 100 countries around the world in “freeing the pill.”

“Since women are often juggling the demands of jobs and family responsibilities, going through the hassle, time, and expense of seeing a doctor for a birth control prescription rarely fits into their schedules,” the senator said.

“We are proud that New Jersey continues to be a place where reproductive freedoms are recognized and respected, and we are pleased that this new law will ensure more women can access the contraceptives of their choosing,” Assembly members Reynolds-Jackson, Timberlake, McKnight and Mukherji said in a joint statement.

“By enabling pharmacists to provide hormonal contraceptives without an individual prescription, we are overcoming existing health care disparities and expanding access to contraceptives for patients throughout the state,” the lawmakers added.

The bill’s signing also got a big round of applause from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey. According to the group:

“While 99 percent of sexually active women will have used birth control at some point in their lives, many struggle to routinely access it because of cost or other barriers. A recent study from the Guttmacher Institute found that when patients were unable to overcome barriers to access their preferred contraceptive method, they switched to other methods that were not ideal for them or used no method at all. As many states enact restrictions and barriers to the full range of reproductive health care, New Jersey continues to work to increase access to contraception through this legislation.”

Friday’s signing is a bittersweet victory, according to Executive Director Jackie Cornell.

“There is duality in this moment,” Cornell said. “We are so grateful for the protections granted here in New Jersey. Yet we are furious that so many Americans live in places where they are unable to access a full range of reproductive health care services.”

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