Grant: Travel Awards - Institute Community Support

Contraceptive implants are a highly effective birth control option, but very few people in Canada use them. One reason is that only certain healthcare providers are trained and allowed to insert them. Pharmacists are often the most accessible healthcare professionals, so allowing them to provide implant services could make it easier for patients to access this form of contraception. In this study, we interviewed 12 community pharmacists in British Columbia to hear their thoughts about offering contraceptive implant insertion at the pharmacy. Pharmacists shared what support they would need, what challenges they might face, and how ready they felt to provide this service. We found that pharmacists were very interested in being able to insert implants. They felt that with the right training, private consultation spaces, appropriate staffing, fair compensation, and public awareness, they could successfully offer this service. However, they also raised concerns, such as limited space in pharmacies, increased workload, liability issues, resistance from physicians, and uncertainty about how implant removals would be handled. Overall, pharmacists believe they could play an important role in improving access to contraceptive implants. With proper training and supportive policies, expanding pharmacists' scope of practice could reduce wait times, give patients more convenient options, and improve access to reproductive healthcare.