How Pharmacists Can Implement Injectable Contraception Programs
Nicole Cieri-Hutcherson, PharmD, BCPS, MSCP, FCCP, discusses tips for implementing pharmacist-administered injectable contraception programs.
In a recent review published in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, investigators from the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science set out to determine the feasibility, applicability, and satisfaction of pharmacist-administered injectable contraception.1 The study aimed to assess the perspectives of patients, pharmacists, and other health care professionals to highlight potential benefits and challenges associated with this type of program.
The study found pharmacists were interested in administering injectable contraceptives and that it could positively impact patient access and convenience, particularly in rural areas. Although pharmacists said they felt confident and capable towards administering injectable contraception, they highlighted the need for more training and resources. There were also several barriers to implementation noted in the study, including lack of infrastructure, mixed acceptance among other health care professionals, reimbursement, and regulatory frameworks.
Drug Topics® sat down with Nicole Cieri-Hutcherson, PharmD, BCPS, MSCP, FCCP, clinical associate professor at University at Buffalo and an author on the study, to discuss how community pharmacists can effectively implement an injectable contraception program into their practice, what kinds of barriers they should be aware of, and how the barriers can be addressed.
“I think that this is a really great option to improve access to contraceptive care,” Cieri-Hutcherson said. “We know that there is potentially an increasing desire for long-acting, effective contraception. By providing this service, pharmacists have the opportunity to fill a gap, provide more complete care services to patients and expand reproductive health services right in the pharmacy setting.”
READ MORE: Women's Health Resource Center
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