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The George Washington University has installed an overnight pill vending machine on campus in an attempt to make the products more accessible to young women.
The Washington, DC-based institution began selling emergency contraceptive pills after a student-led campaign.
The machine dispenses Plan B pills for $30 each, as well as feminine products like tampons and other health care items like Advil.
has been installed in the basement of the student center in a conscious effort to make it more discreet for users.
The move was prompted by the overturning of Roe v. Wade in a decision that struck down the constitutional right to abortion.
The George Washington University has installed an overnight pill vending machine on campus in an attempt to make the products more accessible. In the photo: the president of the student body Christian Zidouemba with the new machine
It was installed in the basement of the university’s student union (pictured) in a conscious effort to make it more discreet for users.
Nearly a quarter of women ages 22 to 49 who have ever had sex have used a birth control pill, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
And, while the George Washington University on-site pharmacist already had emergency contraception stocked, it had limited hours of operation.
If you buy pills off campus, the $50 price tag, as well as finding transportation to get there, also proved to be barriers for students.
The campaign to install vending machines, spearheaded by the GWU Student Association, reportedly became a priority following the annulment of Roe vs. Wade.
There was widespread outcry in the US when the Supreme Court decision was made in June 2022, which meant that women were no longer guaranteed the federal right to abortion.
The ruling prompted students Neharika Rao and Aiza Saeed to start a petition calling for more affordable morning-after pills.
He quickly gathered more than 1,500 signatures and the vending machine, which was not purchased or subsidized by the school or the students, was installed by a private company shortly thereafter.
The machine, which is operated by a private company, was not purchased or subsidized by the school or students.
The machine dispenses Plan B pills for $30 each (file image), as well as feminine products like tampons and other health care items like Advil
Following their implantation, student body president Christian Zidouemba thanked Rao and Saeed in an Instagram post.
Share an image of himself next to the new vending machine, he wrote: ‘A promise made, a promise kept.
‘While this is a step forward in ensuring that our campus has reproductive health products, I recognize that there is still a lot of work to be done.
“That’s why we will work with GW management to expand vending machines at our university and reduce the cost…
“Thank you @aizasaeed_ and @neharikaarao for your leadership, taking on the project and making it happen.”
The campaign to install vending machines, spearheaded by the GWU Student Association, reportedly became a priority after the annulment of Roe v Wade (pictured, pro-abortion rally)
There was widespread outcry when the Supreme Court decision was made in June 2022, meaning women were no longer guaranteed the federal right to abortion (pictured, pro-abortion rally)
He continued, ‘The wellness vending machine is located in the basement of the University Student Center, near the GWORLD office.
“Offers Plan B and other medical supplies like Tylenol, Advil, and tampons.”
Kelly Cleland, executive director of the American Society for Emergency Contraception, praised the move.
She said USA Today: ‘Efforts like this vending machine are a really important part of the solution to lowering barriers to accessing reproductive health care.’
The George Washington University is just the latest to offer emergency contraception to its students, which is already available at places like Columbia, Stanford and Harvard.
There are now believed to be 32 total campuses in the US that have installed similar vending machines.
Morning after pills have been sold over the counter without restrictions since 2014.
But the decision to install the machines has received backlash from critics who have criticized the drugs for being so readily available to young people.
According the washington postShaohannah Faith, the capital area regional coordinator for Students for Life of America, wrote in an email that the university’s decision to distribute the pills “in the same arrangement as candy and chips is reckless and disappointing.”
She said it showed a lack of concern for the health of women on her campus and it is “alarming”.