Bringing emergency contraception to American women: the history and remaining challenges

Womens Health Issues. 2001 Mar-Apr;11(2):80-6. doi: 10.1016/s1049-3867(00)00072-4.

Abstract

Emergency contraception has been called "America's best-kept secret." This article chronicles what it took to move it from secret to the pharmacy shelf. The fact that an emergency contraception product is available today in many pharmacies is indeed a major accomplishment. However, the job is not yet done. The shelf it needs to be found on is not just the pharmacists' shelf, behind the counter-but the shelf in the medicine cabinet in millions of homes everywhere, like burn medicine, "just in case."

Publication types

  • Historical Article
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Contraceptives, Postcoital / history*
  • Contraceptives, Postcoital / supply & distribution
  • Female
  • History, 20th Century
  • Humans
  • United States
  • Women's Health Services / history*

Substances

  • Contraceptives, Postcoital