# Is there a legal way to get the pill without a prescription? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 5, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-legal-way-to-get-the-pill-without-a-prescription/498841 "2009-06-05T16:03:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-legal-way-to-get-the-pill-without-a-prescription/498841/21 "2009-06-07T05:02:15Z")
> [@Karweenie](#): > > _**Yes, you can get them without a prescription. Check out this site: > [http://www.4cornerspharmacy.com/](http://www.4cornerspharmacy.com/)**_ > > This isn’t legal. You’re even less likely to be prosecuted for importing Schedule III and higher drugs than for jaywalking. It is _technically_ illegal, though. ---
**Author:** ![Catfood\_Purrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Catfood\_Purrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catfood_Purrito)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-legal-way-to-get-the-pill-without-a-prescription/498841/22 "2009-06-07T05:47:20Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > You must be a dude, **cwthree**. > > In my experience, once a woman finds someone who she’s comfortable enough with to let them poke her in the hoo-haa, they more or less have to set her on fire before she’ll go find a new doctor. > > ETA: Poker them with a speculum, that it, not a penis. Presumably it takes much less than setting a woman on fire to get her to stop sleeping with you. I don’t think I know a single woman who would put up with that sort of treatment, unless they didn’t have any other option. Personally, I’m going to be pretty damn uncomfortable no matter who’s wielding the speculum, and I don’t care HOW good the doctor is, a three hour wait and then having to reschedule would mean me finding a new speculum wielder. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-legal-way-to-get-the-pill-without-a-prescription/498841/23 "2009-06-07T06:35:39Z")
> [@Karweenie](#): > > This isn’t legal. I don’t think that’s precisely true. According to Sec 804 of the FD&C Act Chapter VIII: > [@](#): > > (j) WAIVER AUTHORITY FOR IMPORTATION BY INDIVIDUALS.– > > (1) DECLARATIONS.–Congress declares that in the enforcement against individuals of the prohibition of importation of prescription drugs and devices, the Secretary should– > > (A) focus enforcement on cases in which the importation by an individual poses a significant threat to public health; and > > (B) exercise discretion to permit individuals to make such importations in circumstances in which– > > (i) the importation is clearly for personal use; and > > (ii) the prescription drug or device imported does not appear to present an unreasonable risk to the individual. This is clearly for personal use, does not appear to present an unreasonable risk and is not a significant thread to public health. So by the Act’s own words, it would not be enforced in this case. [http://www.fda.gov/RegulatoryInformation/Legislation/FederalFoodDrugandCosmeticActFDCAct/FDCActChapterVIIIImportsandExports/ucm107064.htm](http://www.fda.gov/RegulatoryInformation/Legislation/FederalFoodDrugandCosmeticActFDCAct/FDCActChapterVIIIImportsandExports/ucm107064.htm) I am not a lawyer, of course. But the law is public and clear. The FD&C Act is meant to apply to pharmacies importing dangerous drugs, not individuals ordering personal use drugs which are tested, approved and labeled properly and not unreasonably risky. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-legal-way-to-get-the-pill-without-a-prescription/498841/24 "2009-06-07T14:00:25Z")
Three hours? Don’t forget that Ob/Gyns have unexpected delivery problems. My daughter-in-law is a family doctor and she does all the things that Ob/Gyns do except cesarean deliveries. She doesn’t like Ob/Gyns and chose to have her baby delivered by a midwife, in a hospital with a doctor on call. Find a good family physician. ---
**Author:** ![Time\_Like\_Tears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@Time\_Like\_Tears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Time_Like_Tears)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-legal-way-to-get-the-pill-without-a-prescription/498841/25 "2009-06-07T20:17:41Z")
Your local health department may also be an option. Here, I just walked in, filled out some paperwork, made a financial statement, and was then seen by the contraception specialist. They keep many brands of the pill on hand, and can usually give you a prescription for your preferred brand if they don’t have it. Another form of pain in the butt, but perhaps enough to tide you over until you can visit your ob/gyn. ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-legal-way-to-get-the-pill-without-a-prescription/498841/26 "2009-06-07T21:40:01Z")
Something I learned here on the Dope is that most primary care doctors can do pelvic exams in their offices. So if it comes down to needing to get a pap smear done to get someone to prescribe the pill, the OB/Gyn may not be the only option. ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-legal-way-to-get-the-pill-without-a-prescription/498841/27 "2009-06-08T01:56:46Z")
> [@](#): > > In my experience, once a woman finds someone who she’s comfortable enough with to let them poke her in the hoo-haa, they more or less have to set her on fire before she’ll go find a new doctor. Except for when we find someone we’re comfortable with, and then the office _keeps rescheduling on us and switching our appointments to different doctors_ so that we never actually get to see the same doctor again anyway. After they changed my appointment three times last year, I’ve decided I need a new doctor… ---
**Author:** ![Karweenie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e79b87/32.png) [@Karweenie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karweenie)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-legal-way-to-get-the-pill-without-a-prescription/498841/28 "2009-06-08T01:59:43Z")
From the 4 Corners Pharmacy website: \*Physical Address: Pacific Health Limited Eluk Road Pango Port Vila VANUATU\* I agree, the likelihood of prosecution is slim. However, it’s still an overseas pharmacy, and it’s still illegal. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-legal-way-to-get-the-pill-without-a-prescription/498841/29 "2009-06-08T02:03:47Z")
> [@Karweenie](#): > > I agree, the likelihood of prosecution is slim. However, it’s still an overseas pharmacy, and it’s still illegal. [Inigo] You keep-a using that word. I do not-a theenk eet means what you theenk eet means. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-legal-way-to-get-the-pill-without-a-prescription/498841/30 "2009-06-08T03:20:02Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > [Inigo] You keep-a using that word. I do not-a theenk eet means what you theenk eet means. The law you cited didn’t say it was legal. It just said that it shouldn’t be the priority of FDA to enforce it. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-legal-way-to-get-the-pill-without-a-prescription/498841/31 "2009-06-08T03:28:48Z")
That should be “the FDA” obviously. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-legal-way-to-get-the-pill-without-a-prescription/498841/32 "2009-06-08T03:29:21Z")
On the other hand, who doesn’t want drugs from Vanuatu? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-legal-way-to-get-the-pill-without-a-prescription/498841/33 "2009-06-08T04:13:22Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > On the other hand, who doesn’t want drugs from Vanuatu? They’re shipped from Vanuatu. Chances are they’re manufactured in China or India. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-legal-way-to-get-the-pill-without-a-prescription/498841/34 "2009-06-08T14:50:35Z")
I do need to find a new doctor. I wasn’t really comfortable with her the last time I saw her but she is close to my home and I had to refill my prescription so I set an appointment and went. Now I will spend many hours pouring over the doctors who take my insurance and trying to get references from people I know. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-legal-way-to-get-the-pill-without-a-prescription/498841.md?page=1)