College Vending Machine Dispenses Morning After Pill

Wednesday Feb 8, 2012 – by Thembi Ford

The morning after pill remains one of the more controversial forms of choice out there, but some people are arguing that a vending machine at Shippensburg University has made emergency contraceptives way too easy for young people to get their hands on.

From the Associated Press:

Students at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania can get the “morning-after” pill by sliding $25 into a vending machine, an idea that has drawn the attention of federal regulators and raised questions about how accessible emergency contraception should be.

The student health center at Shippensburg, a secluded public institution of 8,300 students tucked between mountain ridges in the Cumberland Valley, provides the Plan B One Step emergency contraceptive in the vending machine along with condoms, decongestants and pregnancy tests.

The vending machine has been in existence for many years, but no one raised much of a fuss until the recent Susan G. Komen Foundation/Planned Parenthood flap. Now, school officials are defending what they saw as a convenient way to give students access to healthcare. The opponents of the machine aren’t just against Plan B, they are against the quick and easy distribution of medicine without the advice of a real doctor. One of the machine’s opponents called it “personalized medicine taken too far,” and explained that “it’s part of the general trend that drugs are available for consumers without interface with a pharmacist or doctors. This trend has serious pitfalls.”

Plan B has always been a little bit controversial because a lot of folks just think of abortion when they consider how it works, but what better platform for a pregnancy prevention drug that needs to be taken within 72 hours of conception than a vending machine? There is something to be said for the lack of professional medical advice here but sometimes I worry that the medical industry spends more time inserting itself where it doesn’t belong than finding ways to help us live without constant medical intervention, even if that intervention should be made only in cases of emergency.

What do you think?

Read more here.

Tonton Michel says:

February 8, 2012 at 11:26 am

For what ever reason the morning after pill does not rub me the wrong way as abortion does. It still feeds into the irresponsible behavior of some people but the in the long run everyone is better off.

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KiaJD says:

February 8, 2012 at 12:18 pm

What’s the big deal? You can already get the morning after pill/Plan B without “professional medical advice”. Just walk into any pharmacy in the US and ask for it (if you’re 17 or older). That’s it. You’d have more trouble getting Sudafed which requires you to show ID and sign your name in a book. In my opinion, this is closer to dispensing condoms from machines (which has been going on for decades, even on college campuses) than it is to getting the abortion pill (which requires medical supervision and follow-up).

dvine says:

February 8, 2012 at 2:04 pm

sounds dangerous and irresponsible.. these college ppl are too old to acting like they don’t know how to get to the damn pharmacy for the morning after pill, or condoms or the ob/gyn for birth control.. making this readily available like this is not a good idea.. just my opinion.. what are the side effects if they take these more than 1 day in the week or with alcohol…

Isis says:

February 8, 2012 at 2:21 pm

Thats a Great business idea. Wish i thought of that

LemonNLime says:

February 8, 2012 at 5:06 pm

Damn can people do what they want with their own bodies? The pill comes with dosage instructions, since they are in college I assume that they have decent reading skins. As for abuse. Really? At $25 a pop there are other meds the are more readily available at a lower price that people can abuse. Why take plan B when you can get 150 tablet of pain relievers at Walgreen OTC for $5. Come on people let’s get it together and think. The only reason this is an issue that some want to control the reproductive organs of many. Why everyone feels the need to be up in everyone medical choices of ADULTS, I will never understand.

E.M.S. says:

February 8, 2012 at 8:18 pm

It’s odd to say the least, but I don’t disagree with the general concept of accessible healthcare for students.

Let’s be real for a minute, in college, many students have sex. And while there are those who are completely irresponsible, even the students who use contraception properly may find that it’s failed. In that case, I think it’s fine that emergency contraception be available, but perhaps it should be kept at the student health center instead of a vending machine.

TheBlackBelle says:

February 8, 2012 at 10:11 pm

GREAT IDEA! I know some may not agree, but for some young adults, going to the pharmacy to actually have to ASK for a medicine and interact with someone other than the cashier after an incident is awkward. I do understand that no one should feel ashamed, but they do. Anyway, this solution provides said individual with discretion, and will continue profits for Plan B.

Alexandra says:

February 8, 2012 at 11:36 pm

I’m not against it at all. With the amount of choices women have to prevent a pregnancy, why not make them more available? Would they rather abortions, more births (mistakes)? College is a place where lots of ‘fun times’ are happening. I support it.

StacyAustralia says:

February 9, 2012 at 9:52 pm

ThIs is such a different generation (and I’m only 28). I don’t think this would’ve existed a few years ago when I was in college. But I did go to school in bible belt. I think this is a good idea but I still feel some type of way