Pharmacists Expanding Their Role in Improving Access to Contraceptives | APhA 2026

As state legislatures continue granting pharmacists prescribing authority for contraceptives, the profession stands at a pivotal moment in access to reproductive health care.

Policy is the foundation, but implementation varies widely. Some states have had prescribing authority on the books for years without meaningful uptake at the pharmacy counter, underscoring that passing legislation is only the first step.

“The most impactful policy has definitely been granting pharmacists the ability to directly prescribe or provide contraceptives to patients,” Sally Rafie, PharmD, BCPS, founder of The Birth Control Pharmacist, told Drug Topics at the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) 2026 Annual Meeting and Exposition. “That can take anywhere from 1 to 3, or we have one state that’s now, I think, going on 7 years since they passed their policy and it's still not happening at the pharmacy counter. So it really depends; each state has their own journey to making this a reality.”

Pharmacists looking to stay current should lean on their state pharmacy associations and resources from trusted providers such as The Birth Control Pharmacist, which maintains state-specific guidance, training links, and scope-of-practice summaries.

On the clinical side, several contraceptive options deserve greater attention. Looking ahead, however, the vision is clear, according to Rafie: contraceptive services becoming as routine in pharmacy practice as immunizations, available in every setting and recognized by patients as a standard offering.

The takeaway for every pharmacist, regardless of practice setting, is that reproductive health touches all patient populations. Whether in direct care, education, or industry roles, there is a meaningful contribution to be made in closing this access gap.

READ MORE: APhA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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