Planned Parenthood installs 24/7 morning-after pill vending machine in Walla Walla

With the goal of making emergency contraception more accessible, Walla Walla’s Planned Parenthood has installed a morning-after pill vending machine.

The machine is located outside the Ruth Baker Kimball Health Center at 228 West Birch St. It sells generic Plan B for $25 a box. Emergency contraception is an over-the-counter medication that is available without a prescription to people of all ages.

“The idea behind the emergency contraception vending machine was that we wanted to make the medication even more affordable and accessible for all,” said Emily Anderson, the community outreach manager for Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho. “As the political landscape continues to change in our region, it has become even more important that people have all options readily available to them.”

Anderson said this project began in 2018, with machines already installed at seven other locations in Pasco, Kennewick, Spokane, Spokane Valley, Yakima, Pullman and Moses Lake.

The vending machine is available 24/7 and accepts debit and credit cards and there is no human interaction required. Anyone who has questions about emergency contraception can text “PPNOW” to 774636 to get more information.

“It’s important to take emergency contraception as soon as possible after unprotected sex or condom failure to prevent pregnancy,” Anderson said. “The medication is available at nearly a third of the price patients would pay elsewhere.”

Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho has 11 health center locations and hopes to install emergency contraception vending machines in the remaining three locations by the end of this year, Anderson said.

“We are also continually looking at ways to make our services more accessible to patients,” she said.