Hepatitis A Outbreak

August 10, 2017August 10, 2017

San Diego is experiencing a Hepatitis A outbreak. Here’s what you need to know about the disease. It can be prevented with a safe and effective vaccine.

What is the source of the outbreak?

Since early 2017, the Public Health Services Division, in the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, has been investigating a local Hepatitis A outbreak. The outbreak investigation is ongoing. It has been challenging because of the long incubation period of the disease (15 to 50 days) and the difficulty experienced to contact many individuals sickened with the illness who are homeless and/or illicit drug users. To date, no common source of food, beverage, or other cause has been identified; as a result, the source of the outbreak remains undetermined.

How many people have been affected?

So far, there have been 312 people affected by the local outbreak. Unfortunately, 10 people have died and 215 people have been hospitalized.

What is Hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A is a liver infection caused by the Hepatitis A virus, which is highly contagious. It can cause liver disease, lasting a few weeks to a serious illness lasting months. In some cases, people can die.

How Is It Transmitted?

Hepatitis A virus is usually transmitted by:

Touching objects or eating food that someone with Hepatitis A infection handled.
Having sex with someone who has a Hepatitis A infection.

Take CDC’s Hepatitis Risk Assessment and get a personalized report in 5 minutes.

What Are the Symptoms?

Hepatitis A does not always cause symptoms. Some people get Hepatitis A and have no symptoms of the diseases. Adults are more likely to have symptoms than children.

Symptoms include fever, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, yellowing of the eyes (jaundice), stomach pain, vomiting, dark urine, pale stools, and diarrhea.

How Can Hepatitis A Be Prevented?

Get two shots of the Hepatitis A vaccine six months apart. The vaccine may be given as a twin vaccine against both Hepatitis A and B.
Don’t have sex with someone who has Hepatitis A infection.
Use your own towels, toothbrushes, and eating utensils.
Don’t share food, drinks, or smokes with other people.

Who Should Get the Hepatitis A Vaccine?

Individuals who are homeless.
Individuals who work with homeless and/or users of illegal drugs.
Travelers to countries with high or medium rates of Hepatitis A virus.
Men who have sex with men.
Users of injection and non-injection illegal drugs.
Individuals with chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C.
Anyone who is concerned about Hepatitis A virus exposure and wants to be immune.
Persons with clotting factor disorders.

Note: individuals with chronic liver disease (i.e., cirrhosis and hepatitis C) may not be at increased risk of getting HAV infections but are at increased risk of having poor outcomes if they are infected with HAV.

We have the Hepatitis A vaccine in stock and can provide it for you without a prescription. Our pharmacist will write the prescription and administer the vaccine in one quick visit. Book your appointment today!

Here’s a video about the local outbreak:

Flu Myths and Tips

December 22, 2016December 21, 2016

You’re probably aware that we’ve officially entered both the holiday season and flu season. This year, we’d like to help you focus on the spirit of giving…except when it comes to giving the flu!

There’s still time to get a flu shot. Flu season lasts through Spring each year. In fact, in June of this year there was a late-season flu-related death here in San Diego County. Regardless of age or health condition, anyone can catch the flu, and get very sick. Even if it’s a mild case, he or she can still spread it to other people, like family, friends and co-workers. People with flu are contagious even before they develop symptoms. Everyone 6 months of age and older should get this important protection.

Our clinic has been full of the holiday spirit as families, couples, children, and adults of all ages have been coming in for their flu shots. For those of you who have already come in for your flu shot, kudos! For those of you who haven’t had the time or might be hesitant to get the flu shot, please take a few minutes out of your schedule to squeeze this important preventive health visit in. We can provide flu vaccines to anyone who is 4 years of age or older. If you have health insurance, the cost may be covered. For example, Medicare covers this vaccine. If you don’t have insurance, we have the lowest prices (only $25 for the regular flu shot that covers 4 virus strains and $54 for the high dose flu shot if you are over age 65).

You can book your appointment on our website or give us a call today!

Hope to see you in clinic soon! Happy Holidays!

In addition to protecting yourself with the flu shot, there are some other things you can do to help avoid getting sick with the flu, colds and other respiratory diseases (and avoid spreading illness to others):

Cover your coughs and sneezes. Use a tissue or your arm.
Wash your hands often, with plenty of soap and warm water.
Stay away from sick people whenever possible.
Stay home when you’re sick.
Get enough rest, exercise regularly and eat a healthy diet.

These tips are helpful in protecting your health all year, not just during flu season.

MYTH #1: The flu shot gives you the flu.

The flu shot doesn’t give you the flu, because it can’t. The flu shot contains killed virus. That killed virus can’t infect you and give you the flu. You may have received a flu shot in the past and then become sick after that. But it wasn’t caused by the flu shot. It could be that you were already infected with the flu before you got the shot. Or it could be that you had become infected with another strain of the flu that wasn’t in the vaccine. Or you may have had a respiratory infection or a cold, and experienced flu-like symptoms. But that doesn’t mean you had the flu.

MYTH #2: I don’t need the flu shot because I never get sick.

Even if you have never been sick, that doesn’t mean you will never get sick. If your loved ones have never been in a car accident, does that mean they shouldn’t have to wear a seat belt? Of course your answer is NO, so why take chances with the flu? The virus doesn’t care how healthy you’ve been. You can still catch the flu and become very ill. You can miss work, school and other important activities in your life. And you can make others sick, too—including people who have health conditions like heart disease or cancer that make them especially vulnerable to flu and its complications like pneumonia. The flu can even be fatal. (For stories about real people whose lives were touched by vaccine preventable diseases like influenza, visit http://www.shotbyshot.org.)

MYTH #3: The flu isn’t a big deal.

We wish that was true! Last year in San Diego County alone, there were nearly 7,000 cases of flu that resulted in 120 hospitalizations in the intensive care unit (ICU) and 68 deaths.

Launch of New Pharmacist Run Clinic Inside a Community Pharmacy

August 26, 2016

Point Loma recently welcomed The Pharmacists Clinic and the addition of clinical health services in the local, family-owned pharmacy, Point Loma Shelter Island Drug. We are the first pharmacy in San Diego to provide consultations with clinical pharmacists, prescriptions issued by clinical pharmacists, and lab testing. Patients are able to conveniently schedule a same-day, evening, or weekend appointment online. This means no more taking the day off work or spending hours in a waiting room. All clinic visits take place in a private room in the pharmacy where nobody can hear or see the conversation.

The Pharmacists Clinic is now offering important preventative health services, including consultations and prescriptions for birth control, lab tests, naloxone opioid rescue, and nicotine replacement therapy. We can order and interpret over 2000 lab tests such as cholesterol, thyroid, and blood glucose for very affordable and transparent prices. Women can meet with our clinical pharmacist, Dr. Sally Rafie, for a personalized birth control consultation and leave with a prescription for birth control pills, patch, ring, or shot. We also offer prescriptions for nicotine replacement therapy to help our patients quit smoking and naloxone opioid rescue in case of an emergency opioid overdose situation. Services will soon be expanded to include all vaccines and travel meds.

Dr. Sally Rafie, a board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist and licensed pharmacist, founded the Pharmacists Clinic. Dr. Rafie specializes in women’s health and preventive health. She completed her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from UC San Francisco and residency training at UC San Diego. “People want to take care of their bodies and control their health. We’re here to help make that easier.” – Dr. Sally Rafie

Dr. Rafie is able to offer these services because of a recent law in California that expands the scope of pharmacist practice to increase access to vital public health services and medications. “We’re not here to replace your physicians, but rather offer an additional, convenient point of care and medication expertise. If you have a primary care physician, we will be sure to keep them in the loop.” – Dr. Sally Rafie

The Pharmacists Clinic and Point Loma Shelter Island Drug have a unique collaboration to offer these clinical services to the Point Loma community! Point Loma Shelter Island Drug is a beloved, family-owned pharmacy established in 1924 and owned by Michael Saad, with a second location called Point Loma Cabrillo Drug.

Hormonal Birth Control Now Available Directly At Pharmacies in California

April 8, 2016April 8, 2016Leave a comment

Like our neighboring state to the north, pharmacists in California can now prescribe and dispense birth control directly to women. Now this warrants a happy dance! Women now have another choice in how they get their birth control. They can either go see their primary care provider, Ob/Gyn, family planning clinic, or go straight to the pharmacy. At the pharmacy, women will have their choice of birth control pills, patch, ring, or injection. All thanks to a state law passed back in 2013. So why the delay? It took 2 and 1/2 years to develop and approve the protocol because of the multiple rounds of revisions.

Is this safe? What about the pap smear? A pelvic examination and a pap smear are not necessary to initiate hormonal birth control. They are important for other health reasons. Women will need to complete a health history questionnaire and have their blood pressure taken at the pharmacy. This helps the pharmacist figure out which methods of birth control are safe. If the pharmacist finds something concerning in your health history or if you want a long-acting birth control device like the implant or IUDs, then you’ll be referred to a provider who can help with that. Ultimately, the goal is to improve access to medications where there is a public health benefit. After the visit, the pharmacist will send a note to your primary care physician to fill them in — unless you don’t want the pharmacist to do that of course.

Interested in getting your birth control directly from your pharmacist? Give them a call first to find out if they are providing this service. Just because pharmacists CAN provide this service doesn’t mean they WILL. California pharmacists want to participate but they are worried about time constraints at the pharmacy that prevent them from taking the time to do this. Over time, more and more pharmacists will provide this service. When you call the pharmacy, ask when would be a good time to come in for this service. Pharmacies have “rush hours” and the pharmacist will be able to give you more time if you come in when it’s slower. Some pharmacies may even make appointments for this service. In California, women of any age can access this service from a participating pharmacist. No age minimums and no ID checks. This service is completely confidential and no information can be shared with your parents or anyone else!

What’s this going to cost me? If you go to the pharmacist for your birth control visit and fill your prescription, the prescription costs will be covered by your insurance the same as if it was written by a different provider. Unfortunately, insurance companies aren’t paying pharmacists for the visit like they pay physicians and the long list of others who can provide birth control, including nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurse midwives, and even nurses. So you may have to pay out of pocket for the visit and submit the receipt to your insurance company and hope they reimburse you (if you try this, please let us know if this works or not!).

Is this a good idea? This is an enormous step forward in increasing access to birth control. Hopefully women will appreciate having more choices in where to get birth control. Next steps? Ideally more states will pass similar laws expanding access with pharmacist prescribing — Tennessee is already moving forward with legislation and many other states are considering it. There is also growing support for over-the-counter birth control pills.

Want to consult with Dr. Sally Rafie, PharmD, BCPS about your birth control and get a prescription? Fill out the contact form and let her know how to reach you.

Safety First for Patients and Providers

December 21, 2015December 21, 2015Leave a comment

Abortion is healthcare. And no patient, family member, supportive friend, physician, nurse, or other staff member should be worried about being terrorized while accessing or providing healthcare services. I never worried about this when I worked in a Planned Parenthood clinic. Perhaps I was a bit naive. My only goal walking into clinic once a week was: provide the best possible healthcare. I was a pharmacy resident at the time, so of course I wanted to learn and practice too. At no point did I look
behind my back or worry about my personal safety.

12307487_10153512358666704_2297390850230863566_o As most Americans spent their Thanksgiving weekends reflecting on all that they’re thankful for, one community was terrorized by a single man and his backwards motives. The recent tragedy in Colorado Springs took the lives of three people, each of whom had two children at home. When I heard the news, it felt like a scene from the HBO movie If These Walls Could Talk was coming to life. The movie was made nearly 20 years ago in 1996 and I highly recommend it for the powerful performances by Cher, Demi Moore, and other famous actresses.

Living in California, I’m proud of our progressive policies and commitment to providing evidence-based healthcare to serve our communities. I think that has had a lot to do with my sense of security. Women living in other states don’t have the same access to abortion, which is a basic healthcare service. There are states without a single abortion provider or one clinic left standing. Some women have to travel for hours to get to a clinic. Other states have waiting periods, ultrasound requirements, or other harmful barriers to timely care. We have to reverse this trend of restrictive laws being passed.

As a pharmacist, I don’t provide abortions. I help facilitate access to this important service by ensuring the other healthcare providers who do provide the medications and/or procedures have the medications needed to maximize safety. If I’m shaken by this event, I can only image what my colleagues who directly provide abortions must be experiencing.

Abortion providers are beyond brave. I have so much admiration and appreciation for the work they do. To be clear, they aren’t just providing abortions. They are providing a range of healthcare services to women (and men too) who need them. And they do all this with the remote possibility of a terrorist attack. Or more commonly, hateful protests outside the clinic, on the driveways in front of their homes, or at their children’s schools. Thank you for taking care of the 1 in 3 women who gets an abortion at some point in her life. You are my heroes! I don’t take my reproductive health care and general health care rights for granted and will continue to advocate for them.

At a recent family planning conference, there were protestors outside the meeting space! Imagine hundreds of healthcare providers at an educational conference and protestors displaying gruesome posters and disseminating inaccurate information to passersby.

This madness has to stop. The murderous terrorists and aggressive protestors aren’t making a dent in the determination of healthcare providers to serve their patients. I wish that everyone could keep their opinions to themselves and respect the personal decisions of others. Abortion is healthcare and healthcare is a basic right — or rather should be.

For more information and perspectives:

Medical and public health student shares her opinion on what the shooting means for medicine

Physician shares her experience as a health care provider in an age of terror

A timeline of domestic terrorism against healthcare providers

9 Reasons To Get This Year’s Flu Vaccine

September 22, 2015December 9, 2015Leave a comment

It’s that time of year again! Time to gear up for the cold and flu season. The flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from flu infection and its potential health consequences.

This year’s vaccine should be more EFFECTIVE than last year’s. Last year, there were two strains — one Influenza A and one Influenza B — that evolved after the vaccine was made. So the vaccine was only effective in 20-25% of cases. In the few years before last year, the vaccine was effective in around 50% of cases. We expect to go back to that this year. We wish it was 100% effective of course. But wouldn’t you rather prevent 50% of cases of a potentially deadly infection than none?
Young and old most VULNERABLE. Children and young adults below age 20, along with older adults above age 80, have the highest rates of the flu.
Flu KILLS. People who die from the flu almost always have an underlying medical condition. Women may be more likely to die from the flu than men.
Everyone 6 months old and older SHOULD get the flu vaccine every year. This hasn’t always been the case since recommendations have changed. Infants younger than 6 months will be protected if everyone they have contact with is vaccinated. The immunity you got from last year’s vaccine has faded over time and you have to get a vaccine again this year. The vaccine usually changes every year. There are new flu strains added to the vaccine every year based on what is most likely to be spread that year. Not enough people are getting this vaccine. Only 50% of American children and 70% of American adults age 65 and older got the vaccine last year.
The vaccine does NOT cause the flu. It can cause some side effects, like soreness where the injection was given, a fever, coughing, headache, or fatigue. A severe allergic reaction is very rare — about 1 in 1,000,000 doses — and warrants immediate medical attention. It takes about 2 weeks for your immune system to respond to the vaccine and fully protect you, so get the vaccine as soon as you can — ideally by October.
Very FEW people should not get the vaccine. If you have ever had Guillain-Barré Syndrome, you should not get the flu vaccine. If you’ve had a severe allergy to any component of the flu vaccine, you shouldn’t get it. Otherwise, get it! If you have a fever or aren’t feeling well, wait until you’re feeling better to get it. Some of the vaccines have a small amount of egg protein, so if you are allergic to eggs let your healthcare prover know so they can be sure to give you a vaccine that is safe for you. People who can’t get the vaccine for safety reasons rely on everyone else to get it and keep them protected.
PREGNANT women should get the vaccine. Pregnant women have a higher risk of serious illness due to the flu. The flu vaccine is an essential element of preconception, prenatal, and postpartum care, according to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The vaccine not only protects the mother, but also protects the newborn baby in the first months of life.
Vaccines do NOT cause autism. I’m not going to get into this issue because you can read all about it from the experts: CDC summary, CDC studies, and American Academy of Pediatrics recent statement.
You have OPTIONS when it comes to the flu vaccines. There are many different products available, ranging from shots to nasal mists. You can also visit your doctor’s office or local pharmacy at your convenience to get your flu shot. The vaccine is typically free with your insurance or from a community-based program. Worst case, you may have to pay a small fee of about $20 for the vaccine.

For more information, check out the CDC website for this year’s flu season.

Photos by Seth Capitulo, Anil Jadhav, Tobias Lindman, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Europe District via Flickr

My Pharmacist and Me: How California Pharmacists Can Help Protect Patient Privacy

August 31, 2015August 31, 2015Leave a comment

As pharmacists prepare to step into the ring of providing sensitive family planning services to their patients, it is important to brush up on patient confidentiality strategies, especially as they pertain to teens.

But wait…isn’t that what HIPAA is for?

Well yes… but wait there’s more! Once the statewide protocol for pharmacy access to hormonal contraception gets approved in California, pharmacists are likely to see teens pursue this option as a confidential, convenient way to get effective birth control. As a pharmacist, you should know that in the State of California, minors are allowed to obtain birth control without parental consent. In fact, you legally cannot discuss any family planning issues with a minor’s parents without the patient’s written permission. While you should encourage teens to keep open communication lines with their parents, you need to respect their decision if they choose to keep their sexual health a private matter. Knowing that they can trust their pharmacist to keep their healthcare private is VERY important to teens and they would benefit from being assured that you will keep their information confidential.

How does the ACA affect patient privacy?

The Affordable Care Act not only expanded insurance coverage for young adults through their parent’s plan up to age 26, it also provided complete coverage for birth control for women. This brings up an important dilemma, patients may now have expanded coverage for birth control, but they may be afraid to access it because of privacy concerns. While you have provider-patient confidentiality laws to adhere to, the insurance companies do not have to keep it confidential. This means that if your patient uses her insurance to cover her birth control, but her parent or spouse is the policy holder, then the insurance company could send billing information that reveals services obtained to that policy holder.

How can I make sure my insurance company keeps my health information confidential?

In California, a law was passed that allows dependents to fill out a Confidential Communications Request form to prevent insurance companies from sending potentially revealing information to the policy holder. Instead information specified in the form will be sent directly to the patient by either email or an alternate mailing address as requested by the dependent. More information for patients and providers can be found at myhealthmyinfo.org.

How can pharmacists help?

This is an important counseling point for pharmacists to review with patients. Cost can become a big barrier to access when patients do not feel comfortable using their insurance and have to resort to paying out of pocket. Since this is a new law, pharmacists can help spread the word and direct patients to the website for more information and the form. Pharmacists should always be aware of their state laws regarding serving minors and confidentiality.

About the Author:

Courtney Miller is in her second year of pharmacy school at the University of California San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences.

What California Teens Need to Know About Pharmacy Access to Birth Control

July 14, 2015September 12, 2015Leave a comment

Provider Guess what California! Having safe sex is about to get a whole lot easier for you in the next few months! We think that increasing access to highly effective forms of birth control is the best way to help prevent unplanned pregnancies and the lawmakers in California agree! A law was passed that is getting ready to rock how you get your birth control in a big way. Starting towards the end of 2015, your local pharmacist can start providing you with more effective forms of birth control in the pharmacy (the pill, the patch, the ring, and the shot)!

This means that you would be able to get your birth control without worrying about making a doctor’s appointment or clinic visit. (Side note: Getting checked out by a doctor regularly is really important! ESPECIALLY, if you are sexually active. It just shouldn’t prevent you from getting effective birth control!) Now if you need birth control you are going to have choices – the doctor’s office, your local family planning clinic, or your local pharmacy!

Who can get birth control at the pharmacy?

First of all, all you ladies out there can use it! Women of all ages — including teens — will be able to use this service. You also don’t need to have insurance or an ID card to get birth control. In California, minors can consent to medical care for the prevention or treatment of pregnancy without parental permission. In fact, legally the pharmacist cannot disclose any information to your parents without your written permission. Of course we know that your parents had sex at least once (hey, you’re here right?) so they probably know a thing or two about sex and birth control. So if you feel comfortable you can always chat with them about any questions you might have and they are welcome to come along to the pharmacy. We know teens like their privacy too; so just know if you don’t want to tell them, we won’t either!

How does pharmacy access to birth control work?

So here’s how it works. It is kind of like when you go get a flu shot from the pharmacist (if you don’t do that you totally should!). You fill out a health screening questionnaire and get your blood pressure taken to make sure that it is safe for the pharmacist to give you birth control and that’s it! The pharmacist will review your questionnaire and talk you about which methods of birth control would be safe for you to use. Then you can discuss how each method works and pick which you like best. The pharmacist will then provide you with birth control supplies just like you would get with a doctor’s prescription and you are good to go.

Keep in mind that not all pharmacies will be providing this service right away. It’s always a good idea to give the pharmacy a quick call to find out if they do before you go in.

How much will this cost me?

There will probably be a small service fee for the screening. This is different than the cost of the medication. If you do have insurance, you will most likely be able to get your prescription filled with no copay. (Thanks Obama!) If you are under your parents insurance, the insurance company might send your parents documents about what you got from the pharmacy. If this is something that you want to keep private, consider filling out a “confidential communication request” for your insurance company. See www.myhealthmyinfo.org for more information and a copy of the form.

What if I don’t live in California?

Basically, this new law is very exciting in the word of birth control. Hopefully once the other states see how much it has helped in California they will follow suit! So if you don’t live in California keep your eyes out changes to come!

What are some trusted sources for more info about birth control methods?

If this gets you excited about birth control, check out these helpful links to help you learn about different methods! These are really cool resources for teens and they break down all the pros and cons of each method. Bedsider includes videos from guys and girls talking about the experiences they’ve had with each method. On their website you can also sign up for text reminders for clinic appointments or to remind you to take your birth control pills, patch, ring, or shot. Planned Parenthood has an interactive quiz to let you know which methods might work best for you. They’ve even got info just for teens.

How can I get my questions answered?

Check out our new resource page just for teens! If you have any other questions about your sexual health or anything pharmacy related you can submit your question anonymously. Your question will be answered by Dr. Sally Rafie, PharmD, who is a pharmacist and is very passionate about sexual health and how pharmacists can help!

About the Author: Courtney Miller just finished her first year of pharmacy school at the University of California San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences. She is from the central valley which has the highest rates of teen pregnancy in California so this topic is very close to her heart!

Pill Supply…The Pharmacy is On Your Side

March 6, 2015March 10, 2015Leave a comment

Birth control pills are the most popular form of hormonal birth control and one of the most popular forms among all birth control methods. Birth Control Pill Supply Choose Control Sally Rafie

What’s the problem?

One of the biggest barriers to using birth control pills correctly and consistently is the lack of supply. Many women find themselves out of birth control pills when they go to take their next pill. And because birth control pills currently require a prescription from a doctor or clinic, this could lead to delays. Catastrophic delays. Missing a couple birth control pills is very different than missing a couple of cholesterol pills. It could mean pregnancy. Especially because the first few pills in each pack are the most important to take on time to be sure ovulation is prevented (and no egg is released). So that explains the problem.

What’s the solution?

Giving women larger supplies of their birth control pills! This mean less trips to the pharmacy, fewer missed pills, and fewer unplanned pregnancies. It’s all very logical. The hang up? Health insurance plans don’t want to pay for larger supplies up front. From their perspective, you may be a customer this month, but may not be a few months from now. More and more plans are restricting the supply that can be dispensed at the pharmacy. So even if your prescription is written for a 3-month supply at a time, the pharmacy may only be able to give you 1 pack for no/low co-pay. Of course, women can choose to ditch the reimbursement from their health insurance plan and pay cash for multiple packs at once, but few will choose to do that and they certainly shouldn’t have to.

What does the research tell us?

All the research supports larger supplies. It helps women stick to their birth control method and we know that’s what it takes to prevent unplanned pregnancies. A systematic review of four research studies found that prescribing and dispensing more pill packs led to a handful of benefits:

Increased birth control method continuation
Fewer pregnancy tests
Fewer pregnancies
Fewer abortions
Lower cost per patient

The only downside? Some pill packs were wasted. The wastage was a result of some women who stopped using birth control pills before they ran out of supplies. But that was a small price to pay to reap all the other rewards. There was an overall financial savings to providing more pill packs.

How do we get women the supplies they need?

Oregon lawmakers are proposing a new bill that would require health plans to allow up to a 12-month supply of birth control pills to be dispensed at once. If you’re in the area and want to get involved, you can participate in a local lobby day on March 25th. Hopefully this Comprehensive Women’s Health Bill passes and serves as a precendent for other states. For now, it is up to each health insurance plan to determine how many packs they will allow women to receive at a once.

Women always have the option to self-pay to get around plan restrictions. Some pharmacies offer auto-refill programs to help patients stay on track with their medications, so ask if your pharmacy offers this.

What’s Your Sex Fitness?

February 28, 2015February 28, 20151 Comment

You’re familiar with the Fitbit…a wristband that measures your daily activity, calories burned, and sleep. Well a UK company is developing the SexFit…a vibrating ring worn around the base of the penis that measures calories burned during sexual activity. More specifically, it measures thrusts during sex. We’ve known sex is a great form of exercise where different muscles are used, men can burn about 4 calories per minute, and women can burn about 3 calories per minute…all while having fun doing it. But SexFit may make sex exercise (“sexercise”) a competitive sport. The information collected by the device is accessed from the free mobile app and can then be shared and compared with friends.

Check out Bondara’s website for more information. The prototype is under development and expect to undergo product testing this year, so it will be some time before it’s available.