This kind of news just infuriates me! I live in a relatively large city (Kansas City) and when I needed some Plan B a few months ago I had to give my doctor a list of five pharmacies to call. I have no idea how many he actually called because the one that filled my prescription wasn't even on my list. What if I lived out in Western Kansas? Would I have to drive 3 or 4 hours to find some?

Maybe someone needs to start a Web site that lists pharmacies that a) keep Plan B in stock and b) are willing to sell it.

Jessica - I agree that a list of pharmacies that fill prescriptions for Plan B would be great, but I'm worried that the fundies would just use it as a a convenient checklist of pharmacies to picket and harass.

The only way out seems to be making sure that everyone is able to get their legally prescribed medication at any pharmacy. (On top of that, it'd be nice if we could make it illegal to make customers feel intimidated or in any way uncomfortable about the medication they are receiving, but that'd be pretty tough to enforce.)

Maybe we can find a pharmacist who will convert to Christian Scientist and thereafter refuse to sell all medications. It would be her right, after all.

Perhaps that would make the point emphatically enough.

Knowledge is power. Every woman in the country needs to know that Plan B is just one option for emergency contraception. Regular birth control pills can also be used. I know, I've used them myself. My advice is to get a prescription for standard oral contraceptives to keep on hand in case you run into problems. All but the most extremist pharmacists have birth control pills in stock. Wal-Mart may not stock Plan B, but when the US market for hormonal contraception is $2.5 billion, you can bet they stock birth control pills.

The Emergency Contraception Website (http://ec.princeton.edu/) operated by the Office of Population Research at Princeton University and by the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, says the following US brands of birth control pills can be used for emergency contraception:

Oral Contraceptives used for EC / Progestin Only

Take 40 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

Ovrette

Oral Contraceptives used for EC / Progestin-Estrogen Combined

Note: in 28-day packs, only the first 21 pills can be used

Take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 2 more pills 12 hours later:

Ogestrel

Ovral

Take 4 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 4 more pills 12 hours later:

Cryselle

Levlen

Levora

Lo/Ovral

Low-Ogestrel

Nordette

Portia

Seasonale

Take 5 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 5 more pills 12 hours later:

Alesse

Aviane

Lessina

Levlite

Lutera

As a Planned Parenthood member, I received their email concerning Target's emergency contraception policy and used their form letter to complain to Target. A day later I found Target's inadequate response in my inbox, and I'm so glad to see that Planned Parenthood and others are calling Target on their ass-covering email. Four years ago, I had a condom break on me and was able to get a prescription for Plan B online and get it filled at my local CVS without any problems.

Until Target changes their policy so that their employees cannot harass or denigrate their customers IN ADDITION to dispensing their prescriptions in a timely manner, I'll be cancelling my Target card and shopping elsewhere.

Of course, the best of both worlds would be that EC is approved for OTC dispensation and then I could have my morals and my Mizrahi faux suede boots too!

It would have been helpful if you had included a link to write to Target in your post. ( I tried unsuccessfully to find a way to write to Target after going directly to their website.) I read all the negative comments about Broadsheet and found most of them too harsh. I decided to give it a try, but I'm losing patience. The vast majority of the posts on today's page were frivolous. Others old news. You could at least have been useful in linking a way to write to Target in this post. To make up you should repost and include, or link to, all the information in celyn's letter above. Be of use!

Frustrated? Want to let Target have a piece of your mind?

After poking around the Target website, I found this:

http://www.target.com/exec/obidos/handle-generic-form/ref=ref-tag/601-3840891-5370521?action=next%2dpage&target=help%2fself%2dservice%2demail%2dform%2ehtml&display=pha&browse=1041350&method=GET

If it doesn't work for you, try linking through:

1) Main site

2) At bottom, in middle, big red question mark, "Contact Us" in right column.

3) "Our Stores & Company" header, then "Target Pharmacy"

4) Then, middle of page:

"Need more help? Please submit your request using our online form, or contact us about a different subject."

The online form allows you to enter your info, a subject (like "Comments about requesting a prescription refill", and then, your Questions & Comments.

Have at 'em! :-)

And I agree, the Celyn posting with the EC how-to with normal BC pills rocked. Thank you! That definitely should be included into the original article.

It is my understanding (as an RN with years of experience in maternal/child nursing) that many doctors simply use 3 birth control pills given in one dose as the emergency morning-after type of contraception. If more women knew that, perhaps those silly "I'm-refusing-to-fill-this-prescription-because-it-offends-my-morals-etc" pharmacists would not be necessary!!

Frankly, it should probably be OTC anyway!!