Cadence OTC, a Public Benefits consumer healthcare company, is redefining access to emergency contraception (EC) with its groundbreaking initiative, making Morning After Pill™ available at convenience stores across the U.S. This strategic move aims to address healthcare deserts and provide affordable, high-quality emergency contraceptives (ECs) to millions of women facing limited or no options at crucial moments.
"There are more than 23 million women who live in around 7,000 zip codes across the U.S. who do not have nearby access to over-the-counter emergency contraceptives because there is no drug store in their neighborhood," says Samantha Miller, co-founder, and CEO of Cadence OTC. "C-stores are everywhere – there are more than 150,000 throughout the country, in every neighborhood, and they are open long hours. We believe female contraceptives should be as easy to find as condoms, so we are committed to expanding the distribution and affordability of Morning After Pill to all people in smaller towns, ‘healthcare deserts,’ and around college campuses, with the aim of preventing unintended pregnancies, which is especially vital in today’s post-Roe world."
Emergency contraception, commonly known as the “morning after pill,” plays a pivotal role in preventing unintended pregnancies, empowering individuals and couples to make proactive choices about their reproductive health. Despite its popularity, there are persistent distribution and availability gaps hindering individuals from accessing EC options where and when they need them for maximum effectiveness.
"We are thrilled to partner with convenience stores in this groundbreaking initiative to make Morning After Pill accessible and affordable to women and couples everywhere,” says Cadence co-founder, Nap Hosang, M.D., OB/GYN.
Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Cadence OTC's Morning After Pill is not only a safe and high-quality option but also now accessible at neighborhood convenience stores at around half the price of the leading brand. Cadence OTC has formed an exclusive partnership with the leading distributor of healthcare products to the convenience store channel, Lil’ Drug Store Products and together we are selling Morning After Pill to some of the nation’s largest convenience store chains.
"For the past seven years, Cadence OTC has been known as the company leading the effort to move the combined estrogen and progesterone birth control pill over the counter so people can access ‘the pill’ more easily without a prescription. Cadence is also working towards eliminating barriers to ECs, which are already available over the counter, but are still too expensive and not readily available in many areas of the U.S. This is a situation where convenience truly matters because the sooner you take it, the better it works – hours matter. And c-stores are the best possible retail partners for making this urgent product more accessible and affordable,” adds Dr. Hosang.
For more information about Cadence OTC and its mission to increase access to emergency contraceptives, please visit cadenceotc.com. Find Morning After Pill at a convenience store near you.
About Cadence OTC:
Cadence OTC is a Public Benefits consumer healthcare company based in Oakland, CA, on a mission to increase over-the-counter (OTC) access to safe, effective, affordable contraceptives for everyone everywhere. Cadence holds rights to three of the most popular oral contraceptive formulations and is in the process of moving Zena, their combined birth control pill, from prescription to over-the-counter. We are also, for the first time ever, bringing an OTC emergency contraceptive to convenience stores nationwide. The company is founded and led by renowned reproductive health experts, experienced healthcare entrepreneurs, and supporters who care deeply about making birth control equally accessible and safe for all people.
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