HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

137

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

H.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING THE DRAFTING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A PROTOCOL TO ALLOW EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION.

 

 

WHEREAS, almost half of the pregnancies within the United States are unplanned, and of those, almost 50 per cent are terminated by abortion; and

WHEREAS, millions of women each year experience contraceptive failure, did not plan ahead to use contraception, or are sexually assaulted; and

WHEREAS, unplanned pregnancies that are carried to term often become a significant societal cost; and

WHEREAS, emergency contraception gives women a practical option to avoid pregnancy, as using one of the emergency contraceptive measures could reduce a woman's risk of pregnancy by between 75 and 99 per cent; and

WHEREAS, emergency contraception works in one of a number of ways, depending on the type and when it is used; it may inhibit or delay ovulation, inhibit tubal transport of the egg or sperm, interfere with fertilization, or alter the endometrium (the lining of the uterus), thereby inhibiting implantation of an egg; and

WHEREAS, emergency contraception reduces the need for induced abortion; and

WHEREAS, emergency contraceptives work before implantation and not after a woman is already pregnant: when a woman is already pregnant, emergency contraception does not work; and

WHEREAS, emergency contraception is a very safe procedure, and at least one state, Washington, has established a protocol that allows its pharmacists to dispense emergency contraception without a prescription to prevent delays, as emergency contraception must be administered within 24 to 72 hours to be effective; and

WHEREAS, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association, making emergency contraceptives available is a most important step that can be taken to reduce unintended pregnancy and the need for induced abortion; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii should be among the leaders in assisting women to obtain emergency contraception easily and on a timely basis; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2002, that the Chairperson of Board of Pharmacy, or designee, is requested to chair an advisory committee on protocols for the distribution of emergency contraception by pharmacists; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the advisory committee is requested to include other professional pharmacists associations, the Hawaii Medical Association, and professional associations of obstetricians and gynecologists; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the advisory committee is requested to look to Washington State as a model for this protocol; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if an agreed-upon protocol would not conflict with existing statutory law, the Board of Pharmacy is requested to implement it immediately, and that if the Board, with the assistance of the Attorney General, finds that existing statutory law places a bar on immediate application of the protocol, then the Board is requested to develop implementing legislation to remove that bar; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Pharmacy is requested to report to the Legislature its findings, conclusions, protocol, and implementing legislation if necessary, no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2003; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Pharmacy, the Attorney General, and the President of the Hawaii Medical Association.

 

Report Title:

Emergency Contraception