Q: I moved to the province recently from B.C. and I wonder where I can get a prescription for birth control? Is it free here like it is in B.C.?
You moved from one beautiful province to another – welcome! Your question gives us an opportunity to review access to contraception and reproductive health therapy in New Brunswick.
Before we proceed, I would like to clarify that no health care service in Canada, medication or otherwise, is free. We are lucky to have access to health care as Canadians that we do not pay out of pocket for in many cases (so it seems free), but there is a cost to every health service that is paid in our taxes.
In New Brunswick, physicians, nurse practitioners, and midwives have the authority to assess and prescribe all forms of contraception approved by Health Canada, including IUDs, hormonal implants, and injections. If you do not have a primary care practitioner, you may make an appointment with a sexual health clinic or via EvisitNB.ca.
New Brunswick pharmacists can assess and prescribe hormonal contraception including oral contraceptives (i.e. “the pill”), the contraceptive patch, or the long-acting hormonal contraception injection. The publically-funded program covers the costs for those eligible to receive up to a maximum of one (1) initial assessment service and two (2) follow-up assessment services per one-year period. There is no cost for the assessment by the pharmacist, however, patients are responsible for the cost of the medication and any dispensing or injection fees.
To be eligible for this service, the patient must:
- Be a resident of New Brunswick and have a valid NB Medicare card;
- Be between the ages of 12 and 50;
- Have a menstrual cycle and not experiencing unusual menstrual changes;
- Not be pregnant or breastfeeding or within 6 weeks post-partum;
- Not reside in a nursing home.
The average cost of a month's supply of generic hormonal contraception is $40 a month. In New Brunswick, the cost is only covered for residents enrolled in the New Brunswick Prescription Drug Program (NBPDP, i.e. Social Development), however many private drug insurance plans do cover these costs.
Emergency contraception, also known as the “morning-after pill” (i.e. Plan B) is available without a prescription in New Brunswick. When taken within five days of unprotected sex, the morning-after pill reduces the risk of pregnancy. The sooner you take it, the more effective it is. Emergency contraception is not an abortion pill – it prevents a pregnancy from happening. As a result, once a pregnancy has occurred, emergency contraception does not work.
Emergency contraception costs about $45. For residents enrolled in the NBPDP, the medication cost is covered if you have a prescription. Ask for Plan B or emergency contraception at your pharmacy, and the pharmacist will provide you with the medication, review how it works and how to manage any side effects that may occur.
Medication abortion was approved by Health Canada in 2015 and is known as the abortion medication RU-486 or mifepristone. Mifepristone is a safe and effective treatment for medical abortion according to the World Health Organization.
Under the Canadian brand name Mifegymiso, mifepristone is available as a prescription by physicians and nurse practitioners in New Brunswick. This medication is covered for residents with a valid New Brunswick Medicare card. A prescription for mifepristone may be presented to any pharmacy in New Brunswick. Your pharmacy team will work with you to find timely access to the medication, and your pharmacist will provide counselling about what to expect and how to manage side effects.
It is important to understand that no method of contraception protects against sexually transmitted infections. Safer sex precautions, including condom use, are recommended.
Your community pharmacist is someone you can trust to support your reproductive rights, including access to a full spectrum of supports including birth control and family planning, emergency contraception, and medical abortion. Most pharmacies have a private counselling area, and discretion will be used to protect your health information. Your pharmacist will treat you with professionalism.
Dr. Kevin McLaughlin (PharmD, BScPharm, BSc, ACPR) practices at Kennebecasis Drugs, in Rothesay N.B. His opinions expressed in this column are published for educational and informational purposes only, and are not intended as a diagnosis, treatment or as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.