S 2108
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2108
To establish a public education and awareness program relating
to emergency contraception.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 27, 2007
Mrs. MURRAY (for herself, Mr. BAUCUS, Mrs. BOXER, Ms. CANTWELL, Mrs.
CLINTON, Mr. DODD, Mr. INOUYE, Mr. KERRY, and Mr. LAUTENBERG) introduced
the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee
on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
A BILL
To establish a public education and awareness program relating
to emergency contraception.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Emergency Contraception Education Act
of 2007'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds as follows:
(1) Each year 3,000,000 pregnancies, or one-half of all pregnancies,
in the United States are unintended, and 4 in 10 of these unintended
pregnancies end in abortion.
(2) The Food and Drug Administration has declared emergency contraception
to be safe and effective in preventing unintended pregnancy for women
of reproductive potential and has approved over-the-counter access
to the emergency contraceptive Plan B for adults.
(3) The most commonly used forms of emergency contraception are regimens
of ordinary birth control pills. Taken within 72 hours of unprotected
intercourse or contraceptive failure, emergency contraception can
reduce the risk of pregnancy by as much as 89 percent. Recent medical
evidence confirms that emergency contraception can be effective up
to 5 days after unprotected intercourse or contraception failure.
(4) Emergency contraception, also known as postcoital contraception,
is a responsible means of preventing pregnancy that works like other
hormonal contraception by delaying ovulation preventing fertilization
and may prevent implantation.
(5) Emergency contraception does not cause abortion and will not affect
an established pregnancy.
(6) Increased usage of emergency contraception could reduce the number
of unintended pregnancies, thereby reducing the need for abortion.
(7) Emergency contraceptive use in the United States remains low,
and 1 in 3 women of reproductive age remain unaware of the method.
(8) Although the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
recommends that doctors routinely discuss emergency contraception
with women of reproductive age during their annual visit, only 1 in
4 obstetricians/gynecologists routinely discuss emergency contraception
with their patients, suggesting the need for greater provider and
patient education.
(9) It is estimated that 25,000 to 32,000 women become pregnant each
year as a result of rape or incest, half of whom choose to terminate
their pregnancy. If used correctly, emergency contraception could
help many of these rape survivors avoid the additional trauma of facing
an unintended pregnancy.
(10) A recent study conducted by Ibis Reproductive Health found that
less than 18 percent of hospitals provide emergency contraception
at a woman's request without restrictions. At nearly 50 percent of
hospitals, emergency contraception is unavailable even in cases of
sexual assault.
(11) In light of their safety and efficacy, both the American Medical
Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
have endorsed more widespread availability of emergency contraceptive.
(12) Healthy People 2010, published by the Office of the Surgeon General,
establishes a 10-year national public health goal of increasing the
proportion of health care providers who provide emergency contraception
to their patients.
(13) Public awareness campaigns targeting women and health care providers
will help remove many of the barriers to emergency contraception and
will help bring this important means of pregnancy prevention to women
in the United States.
SEC. 3. EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION EDUCATION AND INFORMATION PROGRAMS.
(a) Emergency Contraception Public Education Program-
(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary, acting through the Director of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall develop and disseminate
to the public information on emergency contraception.
(2) DISSEMINATION- The Secretary may disseminate information under
paragraph (1) directly or through arrangements with nonprofit organizations,
consumer groups, institutions of higher education, clinics, the media,
and Federal, State, and local agencies.
(3) INFORMATION- The information disseminated under paragraph (1)
shall include, at a minimum, a description of emergency contraception
and an explanation of the use, safety, efficacy, and availability
of such contraception.
(b) Emergency Contraception Information Program for Health Care Providers-
(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of
the Health Resources and Services Administration and in consultation
with major medical and public health organizations, shall develop
and disseminate to health care providers information on emergency
contraception.
(2) INFORMATION- The information disseminated under paragraph (1)
shall include, at a minimum--
(A) information describing the use, safety, efficacy, and availability
of emergency contraception;
(B) a recommendation regarding the use of such contraception in
appropriate cases; and
(C) information explaining how to obtain copies of the information
developed under subsection (a) for distribution to the patients
of the providers.
(c) Definitions- For purposes of this section:
(1) EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION- The term `emergency contraception' means
a drug or device (as the terms are defined in section 201 of the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321)) or a drug regimen that--
(A) is used postcoitally;
(B) prevents pregnancy by preventing ovulation or fertilization
of an egg or may prevent the implantation of an egg in a uterus;
and
(C) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
(2) HEALTH CARE PROVIDER- The term `health care provider' means an
individual who is licensed or certified under State law to provide
health care services and who is operating within the scope of such
license. Such term shall include a pharmacist.
(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION- The term `institution of higher
education' has the same meaning given such term in section 1201(a)
of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1141(a)).
(4) SECRETARY- The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Health
and Human Services.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated
to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each of
the fiscal years 2008 through 2012.
END
