Students who purchase their birth control pills from the Arthur
Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center may have noticed a recent
increase in the price per cycle.
On March 1, the prices of most pills were increased to $12 and
four of the more expensive pills now cost $28.
Previously, all pills were available for an average price of
$10.
Medication for the Ashe Center’s pharmacy is purchased
from pharmaceutical companies through a
University-of-California-wide consortium which includes the five
medical centers, nine student health centers and various UC
labs.
“We all combine our forces and go to the pharmaceutical
companies and look for a way to get discounted prices,” said
Al Setton, deputy assistant vice chancellor for the Student
Development and Health Division.
This enables the Ashe Center and other UC student health centers
to offer medication for a price lower than other commercial
pharmacies.
After a markup of 15 to 20 percent and a professional fee, that
discounted price is the price charged to students at the Ashe
Center for medication.
Birth control pills were no exception until many pharmaceutical
companies decided to discontinue the discount they gave the UC in
November 2002, Setton said.
“We did the math, and decided we had to raise the price
and charge pretty close to what it costs us to purchase
them,” Setton said.
Drug prices are frequently on the rise because pharmaceutical
companies are given the freedom to increase their prices from
patent monopolies granted by the federal government.
Under this patent protection, companies can exclusively produce
a drug for 20 years before it can be distributed generically.
It is designed to provide an incentive for companies to research
and produce new drugs, but also allows them to charge whatever they
want for the drugs they manufacture.
An estimated number of 3,600 women currently purchase their
birth control cycles from the Ashe Center.
Students who are concerned about the price increase can seek
advice on alternatives at the Ashe Center.
“We’re instructing the women who come back for
refills that if they’re concerned about the cost, they should
see their clinician and discuss the possibility of converting to
another pill that is less costly,” Setton said.
Despite the increase, birth control prices at the Ashe Center
are still about half of what is charged at commercial pharmacies
like Rite Aid and Sav-on.
Many students will continue to purchase their birth control at
the Ashe Center even though the prices are higher.
“It’s going to be a little harder to pay for it and
I’ll just have to budget a little more carefully,” said
a student who asked to remain unnamed.
“But I will continue to get my pills at the Ashe Center
just because it’s the most convenient way as a
student,” she said.