Each of Athens' several pharmacies offers a selection of contraceptive devices, both over-the-counter and by prescription, to fill the needs of Athens' residents.
CVS/Pharmacy, 32 S. Court St., fills prescriptions for birth control pills, injections and patches, as well as inter-vaginal rings, said Alan Jarvis, a CVS pharmacist.
Chad Smith, a pharmacist at Ride Aid, 93 N. Plains
Road, said his pharmacy offers many of the same prescription products, including a variety of birth control pills, Ortho Evra patches and NuvaRings.
He said he does not keep Depo Provera, a contraceptive injection, in stock because it is not often requested, but that he can order it as needed.
Fruth Pharmacy, 8972 Albany Road, also offers birth control pills, patches and inter-vaginal rings, said Larry Barrett, a Fruth pharmacist.
There's nothing we can't get
Barrett said.
Barrett said Fruth also has Plan B, an emergency contractive pill, in stock.
Jarvis said the Uptown CVS does not keep a stock of Plan B, but Athens' other CVS, 745 E. State St., does. The Uptown location orders Plan B as needed.
Whatever the customer demands we try to get it he said.
Smith also said he did not see enough need to keep Plan B in stock at the Rite Aid Pharmacy.
He said that it was kept in stock in the past, but that it was a waste of money and shelf space because the store filled so few prescriptions that the product would expire.
He said he will order Plan B if a customer needs it, but the pills, which must be used within 72 hours to be effective, could take a day or two to arrive.
Unfortunately
with that product
that sometimes may be too late
he said.
Wal-Mart refuses to distribute emergency contraception, such as Plan B, according to a May 11 Post article.
It is our policy to refer that customer to another pharmacy in the community that can meet the customer's need in a timely manner -just as we would for any other customer-requested product we do not stock
' said spokeswoman Danette Thompson in the article.
