Pap Smear Ransom - Is It Ethical to Refuse to Refill aPatient's Birth Control Until They Come in for Their Annual Exam?

A review of the common but questionably ethical practice of refusing to refill a patient's birth control prescription until they are seen in office for, and presumably pay for, a yearly examination. This forced decision between making time for the appointment or risking an unintended pregnancy...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of women's health 2020-04, p.265
Main Authors: Marchand, Greg J, Sainz, Katelyn M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Birth control
Contraception
Drugstores
Pap test
Pharmacy
Time
Women's health
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:A review of the common but questionably ethical practice of refusing to refill a patient's birth control prescription until they are seen in office for, and presumably pay for, a yearly examination. This forced decision between making time for the appointment or risking an unintended pregnancy is comically referred to as "Pap Smear Ransom." This short review examines the limited data to support or decry this common practice. Keywords: annual exam, birth control, contraception, office gynecology
ISSN:1179-1411
1179-1411
DOI:10.2147/IJWH.S246220