Massachusetts Law About Contraception
See Also:
Massachusetts Laws
- MGL c.94C, s.19A Emergency Contraception
- MGL c.175, s.47W Insurance Coverage for Contraception
- MGL c.176A, s.8W Non-profit Hospitals Coverage for Contraception
- MGL c.176B, s.4W Medical Service Corporations Coverage for Contraception
- MGL c.176G, s.4O HMO Coverage for Contraception
- MGL c.272, s.21 Unconstitutional under Eisenstadt v. Baird
- MGL c.272, s.21A Unconstitutional under Eisenstadt v. Baird
- MGL c.272, s.21B Private Hospitals Not Required to Provide Contraception
Selected Case Law
Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 US 479 (1965). Legalized distibution of contraception to married people.
Eisenstadt v. Baird, 405 US 438 (1972) .Expanded Griswold to include unmarried people.
Tummino v. Torti, 603 F.Supp. 2d 519 (2009). Criticizes the FDA's approval of Plan B to be sold over-the-counter to only those 18 and over, and remands the case to the FDA "for reconsideration of whether to approve Plan B for over-the-counter status without age or point-of-sale restrictions. While the FDA is free, on remand, to exercise its expertise and discretion..., no useful purpose would be served by continuing to deprive 17 year olds access to Plan B without a prescription."
Other Web Sources
Family Planning Program, Mass. Dept. of Public Health. "The Family Planning Program promotes and provides comprehensive family planning services, which include clinic-based services and may include community education and outreach. These services are targeted to low-income women, men, and adolescents. Family planning services aid individuals and families in making choices regarding the spacing and number of their children. Family planning is an integral component of the Department of Public Health's efforts to prevent unintended pregnancies and STDs including HIV/AIDS, reduce infant mortality and morbidity, and improve the health of women and men of all ages."
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Plan B Information. On August 24, 2006, the FDA approved sale of Plan B contraception over-the-counter to women 18 and older. On April 22, 2009, in response to Tummino v. Forti, above, the FDA approved sale to women 17 and older.
Massachusetts Contraception Coverage Laws Fact Sheet, Mass. Governor. "This fact sheet details Massachusetts state laws regarding access to contraception for individuals and exemptions for religious institutions." 
Pharmacy Refusals: State Laws, Regulations and Policies, National Women's Law Center. Summarizes state laws that permit pharmacists to refuse to fill legal prescriptions (or that require them to do so) as of June 2010.