[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3504 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
111th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3504
To establish a public education and awareness program relating to
emergency contraception.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 17, 2010
Mrs. Murray 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 2010''.
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) Emergency contraception consists of the same hormones
found in ordinary birth control pills. Research indicates that
emergency contraception can reduce the risk of pregnancy from
59 to 94 percent. Although more effective the sooner it is
taken, medical evidence indicates that emergency contraception
can be effective up to 5 days after unprotected intercourse or
contraceptive failure.
(4) Emergency contraception, also known as postcoital
contraception, is a responsible means of preventing pregnancy
that works like other hormonal contraception by preventing or
delaying ovulation, preventing fertilization and may prevent
implantation.
(5) Emergency contraception does not terminate an
established pregnancy.
(6) Emergency contraceptive use in the United States
remains low, and 1 in 3 women of reproductive age remain
unaware of the method.
(7) The percentage of women who have ever used emergency
contraception, increased from 4 percent in 2002 to 10 percent
in 2006-2008, yet significant disparities exist for young
urban, minority women who lack general knowledge about
emergency contraception.
(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 16 percent of hospitals provide emergency
contraception at a woman's request without restrictions. At
nearly 44 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.--In 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 primarily by preventing or
delaying ovulation, and does not terminate an
established pregnancy; 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 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1001(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 2010 through 2014.
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