No doctor visits needed, two apps offer birth control pills
- 8 years ago
LOS ANGELES — Californians can now get birth control pills from at least two apps.
The state is one of a few that allow people access to healthcare via video conferencing or online due to the Telemedicine Development Act of 1996 and the Telehealth Advancement Act of 2011.
Now, patients can also access birth control via apps like Lemonaid and Nurx.
Lemonaid is an app that offers birth control prescriptions as well as options for finding treatment for conditions like urinary tract infections, the flu, acne and hair loss. It promises a two-hour turnaround during normal business hours and gives users a list of nearby pharmacies.
Nurx is an app for obtaining birth control and the HIV prevention medication pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. Nurx lets users order birth control pills, patches, the NuvaRing and Plan B online for to be delivered to their homes.
Users of both apps just answer some questions and submit them along with a photo for a doctor to review.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the apps are alternatives for who can’t afford to see a doctor or live too far from clinics and hospitals. The apps do not, however, answer more complex questions that a doctor can provide in person.
The state is one of a few that allow people access to healthcare via video conferencing or online due to the Telemedicine Development Act of 1996 and the Telehealth Advancement Act of 2011.
Now, patients can also access birth control via apps like Lemonaid and Nurx.
Lemonaid is an app that offers birth control prescriptions as well as options for finding treatment for conditions like urinary tract infections, the flu, acne and hair loss. It promises a two-hour turnaround during normal business hours and gives users a list of nearby pharmacies.
Nurx is an app for obtaining birth control and the HIV prevention medication pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. Nurx lets users order birth control pills, patches, the NuvaRing and Plan B online for to be delivered to their homes.
Users of both apps just answer some questions and submit them along with a photo for a doctor to review.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the apps are alternatives for who can’t afford to see a doctor or live too far from clinics and hospitals. The apps do not, however, answer more complex questions that a doctor can provide in person.