<r members of the Carleton community,
This is a response from The Wellness Center to article “On One poor Wellness Center Policy” printed in the February 26th, 2010 issue of The Carletonian. The anonymous writer of that article voiced his concerns regarding The Wellness Center distributing Plan B only to the female that is requiring the medication. We appreciate the opportunity to address concerns that are in the best interests of the community.
Over the last four years, emergency contraception (“Plan B”) has been evolving in regards to access, legislation, distribution, age, prescription versus over-the-counter and cost. Currently, Plan B is accessible over-the-counter but, by law, it needs to be dispensed by a medical practitioner or a pharmacist. It cannot be dispensed by front desk or administrative staff. Any student, regardless of gender, can schedule an appointment to meet with a nurse practitioner to pick up emergency contraception. If there are no available appointments that day a student may request a call-back from a nurse practitioner in order to set up a convenient time to dispense the emergency contraception.
We apologize for any confusion and inconsistency regarding our procedure, which has been a reflection of changing public policies and legislation.
To learn more about emergency contraception from a reliable source, visit the website http://ec.princeton.edu/emergency-contraception.html