Study Reveals Uneven Access To Abortion Pill Mifepristone In British Columbia

Most pharmacies successful British Columbia tin supply nan abortion pill mifepristone wrong days, but uneven entree still leaves immoderate women facing barriers to this time-sensitive medication, according to caller research. 

The study, published Nov. 6 successful JAMA Network Open, offers nan first province-wide look astatine pharmacy-level entree to mifepristone successful B.C. 

Mifepristone is utilized for aesculapian abortions and tin beryllium prescribed crossed Canada by immoderate expert aliases caregiver practitioner and filled astatine organization pharmacies. Initially disposable only from pharmacists who had completed a training module and pharmacies registered pinch nan manufacturer, Health Canada removed these requirements successful 2017 to amended entree to abortion care. The caller study shows that, while entree has improved dramatically, gaps remain. 

"In abortion care, each time matters," says lead writer Dr. Elizabeth Nethery, postdoctoral investigation chap astatine UBC's module of pharmaceutical sciences. "The medicine is approved for usage up to nan ninth week of pregnancy, but group usually go alert they're pregnant astatine astir six to 7 weeks, truthful timely entree is important to support and respect a person's prime to person an abortion." 

In addition, maintaining entree to aesculapian abortion is important because group tin entree this from superior attraction aliases done telehealth successful B.C. without travelling extracurricular of their community. 

Access is beardown overall-but not universal

The UBC-led squad conducted a "mystery shopper" study successful summertime 2024, phoning much than 1,400 pharmacies crossed B.C. while posing arsenic patients seeking mifepristone. Two-thirds, aliases 67 per cent, could capable nan medicine wrong 3 days-a timeframe considered acceptable for timely care. 

Geography played an unexpected role: agrarian pharmacies performed somewhat amended than municipality ones. The researchers theorized that successful smaller communities, pharmacists often cognize who stocks which medications and coordinate informally. 

In cities, wherever pharmacies are much galore but perchance little connected, callers were much apt to beryllium told simply to "try location else." 

The study recovered nary clear nexus betwixt entree and drugstore concatenation affiliation. Independent, franchise and large-brand pharmacies performed similarly, suggesting that firm building doesn't foretell availability. 

When nan strategy stalls

Among pharmacies incapable to proviso nan medicine wrong 3 days, only 1 successful 3 offered a valid referral, meaning they directed callers to different drugstore that could proviso wrong nan acceptable attraction period. Researchers opportunity anemic referral practices create unnecessary accent and inequities, particularly for group successful marginalized aliases lower-income communities. 

In Vancouver, for example, a diligent mightiness request to telephone 5 aliases six pharmacies earlier uncovering 1 pinch mifepristone available, losing precious clip and adding much accent for thing that should beryllium straightforward."

Dr. Laura Schummers, elder author, adjunct professor astatine UBC's module of pharmaceutical sciences

Closing nan gaps 

The researchers opportunity amended connection betwixt pharmacies, clearer referral systems and refresher training could adjacent nan remaining gaps. 

"In galore ways, what we recovered is simply a occurrence story. When mifepristone is treated for illustration a regular prescription, B.C. pharmacies are, for nan astir part, supporting section entree to this important wellness attraction service," says Dr. Schummers.