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Emergency contraception measure becomes law

Hospitals must give rape victims info about drug

April M. Washington, Rocky Mountain News

Published March 16, 2007 at midnight

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A bill requiring hospitals to give rape victims information about emergency contraception - a measure that's been killed four times since 2003 - became law Thursday.

"A lot of people put a lot of effort and energy into this bill," Gov. Bill Ritter said as he signed it. "It says that if you're a health care provider in the state and you're confronted with a sexual assault victim, you must provide her with information about emergency contraception. We believe this is an important step."

The measure was among four bills signed into law by Ritter. The other three addressed the needs of higher education.

But the star of Ritter's noon news conference at the Capitol was Senate Bill 60. The measure, by Sen. Betty Boyd, D-Lakewood, and Rep. Anne McGihon, D-Denver, requires hospitals, pharmacies and rape assistance centers to notify rape victims about the morning-after pill, also known as Plan B.

The law does not require them to dispense the drug, which is now sold without a prescription.

It marks the fifth year in a row that the legislature has debated the controversial bill. Previous legislation either was killed by GOP-controlled committees or vetoed by former Republican Gov. Bill Owens.

"After working on this issue for five years, this bill will ensure . . . women who have survived sexual assault have access to information that can help them regain control over their lives," Boyd said.

Some Republican lawmakers and right-to-life advocates have consistently blasted the measure, arguing that some religious hospitals strongly object on moral grounds to such a mandate.

Colorado's measure allows individual health care workers to opt out of providing the information, based on religious or moral beliefs. But all hospitals must have someone on staff who can provide rape victims with the information.

"We are pleased to see the inclusion of a moral/religious exemption to health care professionals who do not wish to provide information concerning emergency contraception, and the specification which states hospitals shall not be required to provide emergency contraception to a pregnant woman," officials at Centura Health, which represents seven Catholic hospitals in the state, said in a statement Thursday.

The Colorado Catholic Conference referred to Feb. 1 statements issued by the state's three bishops, including Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput, which said that while the bill couldn't be considered "good" legislation, it still allowed Catholic medical facilities "to cooperate without violating their Catholic character."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration last year cleared the way for Plan B to be sold without a prescription. Ideally, it should be taken within 72 hours after sexual intercourse.

Senate Bill 60

• Would require hospitals to provide information about emergency contraception to sex-assault victims.

• Would require pharmacies that don't stock emergency contraception drugs to post a conspicuous sign stating such.

EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION

• Also called EC, morning-after pill and Plan B, the brand name of an emergency contraception regimen.

• Prevents pregnancy after unprotected sex or sexual assault.

• Contains a higher dose of the same synthetic hormones found in birth control pills.

• Is not the same as RU486, the so-called abortion pill. Once pregnancy has occurred, EC has no effect.

• Prevents pregnancy by stopping ovulation or fertilization; in rare cases it may also inhibit implantation.

• Taken in two doses; the second dose is taken 12 hours after the first.

• Available from pharmacies without a prescription by anyone over 18. People under 18 can get EC with a prescription. Available to all ages at Planned Parenthood clinics.

• Costs about $30 at Planned Parenthood and about $40 at drugstores.Sources: U.S. Food And Drug Administration; Barr Pharmaceuticals

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