CVS/pharmacy Grants Unassisted Condom Access in Washington DC
Washington, D.C., August 28, 2007 – Save Lives: Free the Condoms Coalition (Save Lives) commends CVS/pharmacy for making it possible for customers to purchase condoms without the need for employee assistance for the first time in most CVS stores in the District of Columbia. The coalition considers CVS’s actions a long awaited victory for the residents of DC, especially for those with limited shopping options. According to CVS spokesperson Mike DeAngelis, condoms at CVS will be made accessible to customers by either “power wings” (small condom dispenser, which uses pin rack device to hang condoms) and/or transparent (releases one condom at a time from a clear box) dispensers. “Incorporating innovative solutions to problems of condom access gives CVS customers the respect and privacy they desire and contributes to combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the District of Columbia,” said Save Lives corporate representative, Carolyn Watson.
While Save Lives acknowledges CVS’s progress in making condoms more accessible, the coalition will continue to push CVS on two fronts. First, Save Lives is calling on CVS to adopt, in writing, a nationwide uniform policy stating that CVS will provide customers with unassisted access to condoms. This process can be as simple as placing a brief statement on the CVS/pharmacy official web site, as does Rite Aid. Second, the coalition is asking CVS to replace power wings with condom dispensers in stores where power wings are the only method of providing customers with unassisted access to condoms. Power wings alone are not an effective means of providing consistent access to condoms because the displays are not reliably stocked.
CVS was recently questioned by the press regarding a follow-up survey conducted by Save Lives in April 2007, which revealed that over half of the 20 CVS stores that locked condoms (based on the initial survey conducted in fall 2006) continued to do so. While those stores had power wings, in many cases, condoms were grossly under-stocked. In response to media questions, DeAngelis said,” there are no CVS stores where condoms are completely behind a locked display,” however CVS refused to provide Watson a list of stores that kept the bulk of condoms locked and utilized power wings as the primary method of open access to condoms. Furthermore, CVS executives remained non-responsive in its written communications with Ms. Watson regarding Save Lives’ request for a national written policy. “Without a written commitment, CVS can, at any time, revert to locking condoms, and thus continue to create barriers to condom access,” said Watson.
Recently, coalition members including the DC Department of Health (DOH), Metropolitan Washington Public Health Association (MWPHA), and DC Fights Back (DCFB), wrote letters to corporate CEO, Tom Ryan requesting CVS’s commitment in writing that condom displays will remain unlocked in all stores nationwide. Ryan however has not taken coalition’s concerns seriously.
“As the nation’s largest retail pharmacy chain, CVS must uphold its mission statement (to be the easiest pharmacy for people to use) and vision (to help people live longer, healthier, and happier lives) and announce a nationwide policy prohibiting their stores from locking condoms,” said Save Lives’ media representative Shumaya Ali, “although CVS’s latest move is clearly a step in the right direction for a company committed to human health and well-being, a written policy says they are interested in long-term solutions.”
Save Lives: Free the Condoms Coalition is a non-profit grass roots organization under the auspices of the Student Public Health Association at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. The Coalition fights to improve condom access for everyone. For more information on Save Lives, please visit us at http://studentorgs.gwu.edu/phsa/savelives/
###
