January 11, 2008

Contraception Crisis
USC’s Thomson Student Health Center Running Out of Affordable Birth Control

by : Mindy Lucas


USC’s Thomson Student Health Center has been stockpiling birth control pills — but not because administrators anticipate a run on oral contraception, although they might once word gets out that less expensive pills are almost gone.
The health center has been stockpiling pills since January, when the little-known Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 became law. The act effectively eliminated a group discount policy on drugs — key to negotiating with pharmaceutical companies.
“What I believe the act was originally trying to do was reduce spending or control spending on drugs, but the unintended consequence was [that] it eliminated the ability to get this group discount rate and that gave pharmaceutical companies no incentive to offer discounted rates,” says Lauren Vincent, public relations coordinator for the health center.
Brand name birth control pills, such as these, are going up in price at USC’s Thomson Student Health Center.File photo
As a result, birth control pills at the health center have jumped from $12 per pack for a month’s supply to $30 and $45 per pack. And although the health center, located in the heart of the USC campus, continues to offer generic forms of oral contraception, Vincent says for some women, generic might not be an option.
“That’s something they’ll want to discuss with their physician,” she says. “But even the generic is still not going to be $12 a month.”
In the meantime, she says the center has been doing what it can to keep up with the demand for affordable contraception, including stocking pills and letting students who use the facility know of the price increases.
“When we found out, we tried to buy a bulk amount but we’re basically starting to run out,” Vincent says. “We’re trying to let students know it’s not our fault.”
The health center is not alone in struggling to keep affordable contraception on its shelves as a result of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, according to Sarah Gareau, program manager for TellThem!, a statewide grassroots health policy program started by the New Morning Foundation, which is working to reduce teen pregnancy.
“It [the law] has interfered with not only college health clinics, but many community health clinics’ ability to provide name-brand drugs at affordable rates,” says Gareau, adding that pills at community health clinics have jumped from $10 per pack to $50 or more for a month’s supply. “Which is just cost prohibitive for many young people and students,” Gareau says.
She goes on to say that many health advocacy groups and others involved with health issues in the state are concerned that the rising costs of birth control pills might have negative impacts on young women. “We know from research that more than 50 percent of unwanted pregnancies occur among women in their 20s and that’s college age,” Gareau says.
Both Gareau and Vincent are trying to get the word out about the legislation. As a member of the American College Health Association, the health center is pushing for additional legislation to be attached to the act, Vincent says. “We are asking for them to make college health centers exempt from the act,” she says.
Gareau says TellThem!, made up of about 2,000 members, also supports exempting health clinics from the law. She says TellThem! is asking U.S. House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., to approach U.S. Rep. John Dingell about the issue. Dingell, D-Mich., chairs the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
“Clyburn has the pull to ask Dingell to attach the language,” says Gareau, adding that the deadline for attaching the language — Sunday — is fast approaching. And although Gareau says Clyburn, whose district includes part of Richland County, has said he is only willing to speak to his constituents about the issue, Gareau says he should listen to all South Carolinians. “The university sits in his district and serves many of his constituents who will vote in his district.”
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