PORTLAND (AP) – Maine’s access to the “morning-after” pill is poised to expand as more pharmacists across the state become certified to dispense emergency contraception without a prescription.

A year-old law made Maine the only state in New England and the sixth nationwide to give such authority to pharmacists. Only a handful, however, are now certified to dispense emergency contraception to a woman whose doctor is unavailable.

Last month, about 150 pharmacists – more than half the members of the Maine Pharmacy Association – underwent training in Portland.

Once they complete an on-line test and find a doctor, nurse practitioner or nurse mid-wife who will agree to extend prescribing powers to them, they will be certified to dispense the drug on request.

Such partnerships are called collaborative practice agreements, and family planning groups are seeking to pair as many pharmacists and clinicians as possible.

As more pharmacists come on-line, experts say access to the pills will increase exponentially and more women can avoid the impact of an unintended pregnancy.

The state’s already lower-than-average rates for teen pregnancy and abortion will drop further, said Dr. Dora Anne Mills, director of the state’s Bureau of Health.

Opponents of emergency contraception have likened it to abortion, saying it can stop fertilized eggs from affixing to women’s uterine walls. Supporters say the pill, which can best prevent ovulation or fertilization if taken within 72 hours of intercourse, simply contains a stronger dose of hormones than typical birth control pills and has proven safe and effective in averting unwanted pregnancies.

Pharmacists in various states have refused to fill emergency contraception prescriptions on moral grounds, and some states are considering legislation that would protect pharmacists who do so. In Maine, however, many pharmacists see providing the pill as less of an ideological statement and more of a professional obligation.

“This is just helping patient access, and I guess that’s the really important thing,” said Michael Gilfillan, co-owner of West End Drug in Bar Harbor, who is among Maine pharmacists authorized to dispense the pills without a prescription.

In Washington state, demand for emergency contraception has grown since pharmacists began offering it in 1998. The practice has been credited with helping to reduce that state’s Medicaid costs.

Maine should also see good participation rates, according to Maureen Burke, who chairs the Maine Pharmacy Association.

Maine pharmacists are eager to enter into collaborative practice agreements for the first time, she said. Their peers in other states can already administer vaccines and provide diabetes medication without doctor’s prescriptions.

“It’s opening the door for pharmacists to use some of their knowledge and not just have to deal with insurance and count pills,” Burke said. “I think a lot of pharmacists think it’s time for Maine to enter the 21st century.”

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Information from: Portland Press Herald, http://www.pressherald.com

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