In recent months, the birth control pills that many college women-35 percent of sexually active female students, according to the American College Health Association's National College Health Assessment-obtain from their universities have doubled or tripled in price.
The increase has occurred because a discount that many student health centers relied on to provide birth control at reduced prices is no longer available. The markdown was eliminated by the Deficit Reduction Act, which went into effect this January.
The act had not affected Duke Student Health Center contraceptive prices until recently, however, when the University pharmacy's stock of pills bought under cheaper contract prices was depleted, said pharmacist Steve Almond.
"We have since run out of all things we have gotten under the good contract prices and the prices for those things have really increased," Almond said.
The main pill, Ortho Tri-cyclen Lo, provided by the Student Health Center at a discounted price has also gone up the most, from $20 to $46, he said.
The makers of the pill, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, said they were committed to providing affordable birth control despite this increase.
"Our company is one of the lowest-cost providers of oral contraceptives to public health services, and we are committed to assisting the underserved community serviced by these public health services," said Gloria Vanderham, communications manager for Ortho-McNeil.
It is unclear, however, whether companies could bring the prices back to former levels without a change in legislation.
The Deficit Reduction Act stipulated that the calculation of a best price could be made omitting certain purchasers of birth control pills at nominal prices, according to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The organization said in a statement that the act completely cut universities and colleges out of the benefit.
Planned Parenthood has encouraged Congress to amend the law in order to address the issue. Jennifer Ferris, communications coordinator for Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina, said it was essential for students to make their discontent with the DRA known to their senators in order to see change.
"I don't think they know how intimate an issue this is for college students," she said. "This can be fixed, and it can be fixed with a vote."
Although some individuals said the problem is insignificant because students could get the drugs through their insurance, Ferris said this is unreasonable.
"A lot of young women are still on their parents' insurance and they don't want their parents to know that they are using contraceptives," she said. "It's an issue of privacy."
A number of members of Congress are working on an amendment to the DRA that would address the issue of contraceptive contracts to universities, as well as other concerns.
"[The price increase] has taken us one step backward in the effort to reduce unintended pregnancy and the need for abortion," Rep. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y., wrote in a letter to colleagues.
Paul Cox, a staff member for local Rep. David Price, D-N.C., said Price was aware of the legislation but would need to review it before giving his position or commenting on its effect on local universities.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.