News Release
Embargoed for Release Until:
Wednesday, February 18, 2004, 9:00 a.m. EST

Kaiser Family Foundation
2400 Sand Hill Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025

For Further Information Contact:
Rob Graham or Heidi Hess at (650) 854-9400

EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION SURVEY SHOWS SLOW START FOR CALIFORNIA'S NEW
"PHARMACY ACCESS" PROGRAM

Only one in 10 women in California ages 15 to 44 know about the new program

Four in 10 don't know that emergency contraception is available in the U.S.

Menlo Park, CA - As the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to
deliberate whether emergency contraception will be made available
"over-the-counter" without a prescription, a new Kaiser Family Foundation
survey finds very few (9%) California women ages 15 to 44 are aware of the
statewide, emergency contraception "pharmacy access" program. Emergency
contraceptive pills are a form of birth control that can be used to prevent
unintended pregnancy in the first few days following unprotected sex or
contraceptive failure, according the FDA. This new program, started in
January 2002, permits women to obtain emergency contraception directly from
participating pharmacists without first contacting a physician, while
"over-the-counter" would allow people to obtain emergency contraception
off-the-shelves at participating retailers without a pharmacist consultation
or a physician's prescription.

Of the 8% of women surveyed last summer who had used emergency contraception
in California, only a tiny fraction report that they obtained the pills
directly from a pharmacist under this new program. To date, approximately
18% of all pharmacies in California are providing emergency contraception
directly to women, according to the Pharmacy Access Partnership -- an
organization that trains pharmacists to participate in this program.

"Even in California, a state that has enacted polices to make access to
emergency contraception easier, actual knowledge and use is still quite
low," said Alina Salganicoff, Ph.D., vice president and Director of Women's
Health Policy, Kaiser Family Foundation and the lead author of the report.
"It is too soon, however, to assess how much this new pharmacy program will
ultimately affect awareness of and access to emergency contraception."

Overall, there is also considerable confusion about emergency contraception.
While recognition of the term "emergency contraception" is high, with over
three-quarters (81%) of California women ages 18 to 44 saying they have
heard of it, over four in ten women (46%) had heard the term but do not have
knowledge of a contraceptive method that is used after sex. Furthermore,
four in ten (39%) of the women surveyed do not know that emergency
contraception is available in the U.S. and half (49%) of adult women who had
heard of emergency contraception, mistakenly thought that it was the
"abortion pill," also known as RU-486 (which is used to terminate a
pregnancy, unlike emergency contraception which prevents a pregnancy from
occurring).

When emergency contraception is accurately explained, however, the survey
finds a large majority of Californians (74%) say they approve of using
emergency contraception when birth control fails, with only 18% saying that
they have a religious or moral objection to its use. Two-thirds of the
women surveyed (65%) also say they would be more likely to take emergency
contraception to prevent unintended pregnancy if they already had a pack at
home in advance of needing it.

Few people learn about emergency contraception from their health care
providers. In fact, television news is the leading source of information
about emergency contraception. While only one in ten (12%) women who had
heard of emergency contraception say their doctor or health care provider
had discussed it with them, over eight in ten (84%) say that they would turn
to a health care professional to learn more about this birth control option.

The report, "Emergency Contraception in California," is based on the
findings of a survey designed and analyzed by the Kaiser Family Foundation
with Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA). It was conducted from
April 29 to September 2, 2003 and included interviews with 1,151 females and
males ages 15 to 44 living in California. Parental consent was obtained for
respondents under 18.


Key California Findings

Knowledge about emergency contraception is limited
>> One in ten (9%) women ages 15 to 44 know that in California, women can
obtain emergency contraceptive pills directly from a pharmacist without
having to contact a physician.
>> Two-thirds (65%) of those surveyed know that there is something a woman
can use after sex to reduce the risk of unintended pregnancy. Awareness was
the same for men and women.
>> Young adults are more likely to know of an option compared to older
adults (77% of those 18 to 24 compared to 62% of those 25 to 34 and 64% of
those 35 to 44).
>> Four in ten (39%) adult women incorrectly say that emergency
contraception isn't available in the U.S. or that they are not sure.
>> 49% of adult women ages 18 to 44 incorrectly state that emergency
contraception is the same as the "abortion pill" or RU-486. An additional
26% state that they do not know if they are the same.

Few have had experience with emergency contraception
>> One in ten women (8%) and men (10%) in California report that they or
their partners have used emergency contraception.
>> Almost one-quarter (23%) of sexually active adults ages 18 to 24 report
that they or their partners have used emergency contraception, compared with
8% of those ages 25-34 and 2% of those ages 35 to 44.
>> Among teens ages 15 to 17, 10% of those who are sexually active state
that they or their partners have used emergency contraception.
>> Half of the respondents (52%) who have experience with emergency
contraception obtained the pills from a health care clinic.

Television news -- not doctors -- is major source of information about
emergency contraception
>> One in ten (12%) adult women surveyed have discussed emergency
contraception with a doctor or other health care professional. Physician
communication is just as low (13%) among women who received a gynecological
exam in the previous year.
>> Among adults who know about emergency contraception, they typically
learned about it from TV news (46%), friends (14%), and school (12%).
>> Two-thirds of Californians (65%) say that if a doctor informed them about
emergency contraception, they would be more likely to take it or recommend
it to their partner if needed. Teens in particular say this would increase
the likelihood that they would use or recommend this option (87%).

************************************************************************

Emergency Contraception

According to the FDA, emergency contraceptive pills are a form of
contraception that can be used following unprotected sexual intercourse to
prevent unintended pregnancy. This method is designed to be used in cases
of unprotected sex or possible birth control failure, and not as a regular
form of contraception. Emergency contraception prevents pregnancy from
occurring by preventing ovulation, disrupting fertilization, or inhibiting
implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus. Emergency contraceptive
pills are not effective if a woman is already pregnant (in contrast to
mifepristone, also known as RU-486). Research finds that emergency
contraceptive pills reduce the risk of pregnancy by up to 89% if taken with
72 hours of intercourse.

The California Emergency Contraception Pharmacy Access Program

This California program was implemented in January 2002, following the
October 2001 passage of SB 1169 in the California legislature. The program
allows pharmacists, under a standing collaborative agreement with a
physician, to provide emergency contraception directly to a woman without
requiring her to contact a physician first. To date, 18% of pharmacies are
participating in this new program. In order to participate in the program,
pharmacists must receive emergency contraception training in accordance with
California law. Each woman who receives emergency contraception directly
from a pharmacist must receive a standardized fact sheet that includes the
"indications" for use of the drug, the appropriate method for using the
drug, and the need for medical follow up. As opposed to "over-the-counter"
status by which a woman could simply buy emergency contraception off the
shelf at a retail outlet, the California program requires a woman to obtain
the pills directly from an
eligible pharmacist.

*************************************************************************

Methodology

This report is based on data collected from a telephone survey of 1,151
females and males ages 15 to 44 living in California. The interviews were
conducted in English and Spanish by Princeton Data Source, LLC under the
guidance of Princeton Survey Research Associates (PSRA), from April 29 to
September 2, 2003. Before interviewing respondents under age 18, a parent
or guardian first completed a short survey and gave consent for their child
to be interviewed.

The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.2% for the total sample, +/- 6% for
teens ages 15 to 17, and may be larger for subgroups.

************************************************************************

The survey report and an emergency contraception fact sheet are available
online at http://www.kff.org/womenshealth/whp021804pkg.cfm .

The Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit, private operating foundation
dedicated to providing information and analysis on health care issues to
policymakers, the media, the health care community, and the general public.
The Foundation is not associated with Kaiser Permanente or Kaiser
Industries.

************************************************************************
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The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation -- on the web at http://www.kff.org/
************************************************************************

Ok, here is another call to action, this time by the National Women's Health Network:

Bush Delays Denies Women Access to EC- February 13, 2004

On Friday, February 13 Barr Pharmaceuticals announced that the Food and
Drug Administration has requested an additional 90 days to review Barr's
application for over-the-counter distribution of Plan B, the emergency
contraceptive pill.

We are deeply concerned that this is a delay tactic and another example
of the Bush Administration imposing politics on the scientific
decision-making process. FDA's own advisory committee reviewed the
scientific evidence on Plan B in December of last year and
overwhelmingly voted (23-4) in favor of making the product available
without prescription. Moreover, after reviewing the full scope of
research data that has been collected on emergency contraception, the
expert panel agreed unanimously that the data show Plan B to be safe for
use in the non-prescription setting.

The Bush administration, in an effort to placate political allies in
conservative groups, is blocking women's access to a safe and effective
product that could help prevent unintended pregnancies and reduce the
number of abortions.

In light of the recent news that FDA Commissioner Mark McClellan may
soon be stepping down, leaving the FDA without a leader in charge, this
postponement is particularly worrisome. We must not allow President
Bush to use a bureaucratic delay to hide the truth that he is denying
women in the United States access to emergency contraception.

Even if you've already written to the FDA expressing your support for
emergency contraception, write again and urge them to make emergency
contraception available without prescription NOW tell them we won't
accept any more delays at the expense of women's health. Send your
email to Commissioner McClellan at fda.commissioner@fda.hhs.gov
Please cc: nwhn@womenshealthnetwork.org and send this alert to any
friends and colleagues who you think may be interested in taking action.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Women are being called into political action to protect women's health by a corporation.... hmmm

Breast Cancer Hospitalization Bill - Important legislation for all women.
What is the connection between Lifetime and this bill? Why is Lifetime interested in these issues? Is it an example of corporate responsibility?

From their About Lifetime page: Lifetime is dedicated to using the power of the media to make a positive difference in the lives of women. Our Lifetime Commitment public outreach campaigns represent the network's ongoing efforts — on-air, online and in communities around the country — to support women on a range of issues affecting them and their families. In partnership with more than 150 leading nonprofit organizations, Our Lifetime Commitment includes initiatives to Stop Violence Against Women; to inspire women and girls to Be Your Own Hero; to promote the importance of Caring for Kids and to fight to Stop Breast Cancer for Life.

Is anyone aware of any sociological studies of LifetimeTV?

--Well, here's what they want you to do... What do you think?

Sign the pledge and make a difference!

On September 25, 2003, Lifetime Television delivered more than 5 million petition signatures to Capitol Hill, urging Congress to ban "drive-through" mastectomies — the practice in which women are forced out of the hospital sometimes only hours after breast cancer surgery. Sign our petition now to help end drive-through mastectomies once and for all.

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) introduced bipartisan legislation that mirrors the House bill sponsored by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) which would end this horrific practice. The petitions were collected by Lifetimetv.com as part of Lifetime's campaign against this practice with DeLauro, Landrieu, the National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations (NABCO), physicians, advocates and survivors across the nation.

Lifetime Television, NABCO, Rep. DeLauro and Connecticut physician Kristen Zarfos, M.D., have been fighting for this type of access to quality care for all women since 1996. The legislation would require insurance companies to cover a 48-hour minimum stay for mastectomy patients and a 24-hour stay for a woman undergoing a lymph node dissection. The legislation ensures that a doctor and a patient will make a decision together about staying at a hospital after a mastectomy.

While both the American College of Surgeons and the American Medical Association believe that most patients require a longer hospital stay, "drive-through" mastectomies have become an unwelcome reality for women who are battling breast cancer. Against the advice of their doctors, thousands of women must leave the hospital while still in pain, groggy with anesthesia and with drainage tubes still in place.

The House version of the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act is co-sponsored by 153 members of Congress from both sides of the aisle. The legislation is supported by the American Medical Association; NABCO; American College of Surgeons; American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons; Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses; National Council of Jewish Women; Society for the Advancement of Women's Health Research; Susan G. Komen Foundation; Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization; and Families USA.

If you agree that women require more than one night at a hospital after undergoing a mastectomy, here's your chance to make your voice heard. With the strength of these petition numbers behind us, we will get this legislation passed.

Sign the Pledge
http://www.lifetimetv.com/health/breast_mastectomy_pledge.html