After menstrual products recently became available in UW-Madison academic buildings, conversations about the possibility of emergency contraception devices on campus are ongoing.
University Health Services Director of Administrative Services Arnold Jennerman and Accessible Reproductive Healthcare Initiative president Jordan Madden discussed a possible plan to provide Plan B in vending machines at UW-Madison Thursday.
In emails between the two, Madden said he proposed the idea because of students’ “growing desire to see [emergency contraception], such as Plan B, more easily accessible on campus.”
However, UW-Madison spokesperson Meredith McGlone said there is no available data to identify student demand for these contraceptives on campus.
Madden suggested that UHS subsidize the costs of emergency contraception and place them in vending machines for prices of $10 to $20 at the Student Activity Center. The pills typically cost between $40 and $50, according to Planned Parenthood.
Although Jennerman said in multiple emails to Madden that there are other considerations that need to be evaluated such as cost, staffing and campus administrative policies, he said a pilot program “with a fixed amount of dollars for the first year” is a possibility.
According to McGlone, however, there is no plan for UHS to offer emergency contraception through vending machines to students.
She also said the plan may not be possible due to legal issues with “dispensing medication in a vending machine.”
Jennerman in his email said that UHS included $4,000 in funding of emergency contraception in their 2018-2019 proposed budget, but it did not include plans to offer emergency contraception in vending machines on campus.
McGlone clarified that the $4,000 Jennerman mentioned will provide emergency contraception only to victims of sexual violence and not the general campus population.
She said the UHS Health Care Advisory Committee recently reviewed this budget and unanimously voted to sent it to the Student Services Finance Committee for review.
“At this time, UHS policy does not allow for this type of medication to be distributed in an unmonitored environment,” McGlone said. “A student representative has made a request, but it has not been endorsed by the university.”
