It's time for American Society for Emergency Contraception (ASEC) to update its emergency contraception (EC) access & price survey to get a current assessment of what EC access looks like right now.
ASEC is asking its network to go in-person to stores in their area and use this survey to report on the price and display of EC, as well as any potential obstacles that EC consumers might encounter. This is a concrete way to take action right now so we can help ensure that people are getting EC when they need it. As you may know, there are no restrictions on the sale of levonorgestrel EC in the United States, but reports from the field tell us that the real-world EC purchase experience doesn't always match the regulations.
ASEC is offering four $50 gift cards to randomly chosen respondents who complete the survey as a thank you!
About the survey:
- The survey is hosted in Survey Monkey to make data collection as easy as possible. You can complete the survey right on your phone or tablet - just save this email so you can quickly access the link (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3FD5FDH). Please complete a new form for each store you visit.
- ASEC is very interested in reporting whether store personnel still believe that there are restrictions based on age or gender, and whether consumers need to show ID to purchase EC; and whether ella is available for immediate purchase (and if not, how long it would take to order it). If possible, please answer all questions, including a couple of brief questions that ask you to talk with the pharmacy staff.
- New for 2024: ASEC has added questions to explore Opill (the new over-the-counter birth control pill) in the community. Please share how Opill is displayed, what cost it is and if it's actually available or if there is a "coming soon" display.
- If you don't have a mobile device on which you can use Survey Monkey, please print out the survey (here) so you can collect information in the store, and then enter the information into the form the next time you're at a computer.
- You may find it helpful to preview the questions before you get started -- just read through the attachment or this link before you go.
How can you get involved?
- Please keep this link and complete the survey during your regular routines (at the grocery store, at pharmacies on your walk to work, etc.).
- Bring it with you on vacation! This is a great way to improve the geographical diversity of the sample, so ASEC can get a fuller picture of EC access across the country.
- Please see ASEC’s updated EC Pharmacy Information Guide, available here, which summarizes current regulations governing how EC can be sold in pharmacies and retail stores. The guide is intended for use by pharmacists and store personnel working in outlets where EC is sold. We encourage you to print a few of these out and hand them to pharmacists when filling in the survey!
Please share widely! ASEC will collect data throughout the summer, and plans to share results early in the fall. Read its most recent report here. Please email [email protected] or [email protected] with any questions or comments.