title: Nonprescription availability of emergency contraception in the United States: current status, controversies, and impact on emergency medicine practice.
abstract: In October 2004, the American College of Emergency Physicians Council joined more than 60 other health professional organizations in supporting the nonprescription availability of emergency contraception. This article reviews the history, efficacy, and safety of emergency contraception; the efforts toward making emergency contraception available without a prescription in the United States; the arguments for and against nonprescription availability of emergency contraception; and the potential impact nonprescription availability could have on the practice of emergency medicine in the United States.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Brown Medical School, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Megan L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ranney
authors.forename: Erin M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Gee
authors.forename: Roland C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Merchant
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital / Q000191:economics; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D034462:Dissent and Disputes; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D014943:Global Health; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics; D006801:Humans; D007880:Legislation, Drug / Q000941:ethics; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs / Q000191:economics; D011057:Politics; D011247:Pregnancy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs