Forty percent of Harris Teeter pharmacies in North Carolina were not stocking emergency contraception this spring, despite a company policy in favor of it.
According to a May 22 letter from NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina to the Matthews-based chain, 33 of the grocery store chain's 82 pharmacies did not have Plan B in stock.
For the survey, NARAL volunteers called each of the stores at least three times and asked about the pill, a concentrated dose of hormones that can prevent pregnancy when taken within 72 hours of intercourse. In some cases, they also visited the stores.
In a follow-up letter on June 29, NARAL noted that the number of Harris Teeter pharmacies not stocking the over-the-counter pill was down to 11.
But after a second follow-up, it found three stores were still not in compliance: The Oak Landing Shopping Center in Wilmington, the Providence Commons in Charlotte and Cloverdale in Winston-Salem.
NARAL plans to encourage women who live nearby to ask the pharmacist about Plan B.
"We want to let them know that the public wants it," said statewide organizer Amy Woodell.
