New York to let pharmacists sell prescription contraceptives

New York will allow pharmacists to prescribe birth control pills and devices without a medical referral under a law going into effect next November.

The legislation is "part of a long journey to find more ways to protect the rights of women in the state of New York," Hochul said. "We’re going to do everything in our power to stop the backslide while expanding reproductive rights here in our state."

Under the law, doctors and nurse practitioners will be able to send pharmacists prescriptions for such contraceptives that don't list the names of specific patients. After a patient fills out a self-screening risk assessment questionnaire to help a pharmacist identify any risk factors and decide on an appropriate contraceptive, the pharmacist would fill in the patient's name on the relevant prescription.