JEFFERSON CITY — The demand for emergency contraception kits has spiked following the presidential election, a trend driven by growing concerns over potential changes in reproductive health policies, according to Leslie Klote, the communications manager for the Missouri Family Health Council.

The spike comes despite major wins for abortion-rights advocates across the nation, with reproductive rights being added to seven state constitutions, including Missouri’s with the passage of Amendment 3. The anticipation of another Donald Trump presidency has seemingly left some women fearful for emergency contraception nationwide, national news outlets report.

“The spike is definitely due to fear and uncertainty,” Klote said. “People are scared of what these new administrations, both at the state and federal levels, could mean for birth control access.”

The Missouri Family Health Council distributes kits that include two doses of over-the-counter emergency contraception, safer sex supplies like condoms, and information on health care resources, such as birth control and STD testing services provided by health centers across the state. Kits are mailed directly to individuals, and they can also be picked up at community distribution points throughout Missouri.

Before the 2020 presidential election, the organization received about 19 requests a day. But in the days following the election, that number surged to 150 requests per day.

“Folks are just taking all precautions they can to ensure that they are able to plan what their families look like and if and when they have families on their own timelines,” Klote said.

Klote said the trend is part of a larger, national movement in which individuals are exploring every available option during an uncertain political climate.

“It’s inspiring to see how many folks are taking advantage of this program,” she said. “People of all ages need birth control, including emergency contraception.”

Laura Bellis, the executive director of the Take Control Initiative, said her program has been slammed with the demand.

Take Control Initiative is an Oklahoma-based contraceptive access program.

“Before the election, we were seeing about 25 to 100 orders a day, so like 70 on average a day,” Bellis said. “The day after the election, we saw over 1,000 orders. The day after that, that doubled, and we saw over 2,000, and it continued to climb.”

The organization has since taken down some of its advertisements so it doesn’t exceed capacity.

“It has settled down a bit; it’s more like 600 a day,” Bellis said.

But that uptick isn’t being felt on the ground in Columbia — at least, not at smaller pharmacies like Flow’s Pharmacy and Kilgore’s.

Managers there said they haven’t seen any noticeable shifts in buying trends for Plan B.

Bellis said the national trend reminds her of panic-buying during the pandemic.

“While we did expect the potential for increased demand, we’ve seen this type of thing before — this has just been so much higher than it has been in the past.”

Still, she said she isn’t afraid of a shortage.

“There are enough pharmaceutical brands, and I think there is enough variety there,” she said. “I think more so it just highlights concerns that people have overall over what resources will be available to them in the future.”

Women are also taking to social media to tell others why they should stock up on Plan B.

Earlier this month, TikTok user @_brynn_182, who didn’t wish to disclose her last name, talked about purchasing both emergency contraception and a pregnancy test.

“You could be somebody like me, on birth control, not dating anyone,” she said. “But this is for emergencies … I live in Oklahoma, and I can’t get an abortion super easily if my life depended on it or if I wanted it.”

She told KOMU 8 that she believes everyone should have at least one or two Plan B doses for emergencies considering their shelf life.

“If a shortage does occur, I would hope the people distributing the products would recognize the demand is higher and adjust accordingly,” she said.

And it’s not just women in their teens and 20s requesting emergency contraceptive kits, Bellis said.

“A lot of who we are hearing from and who are reaching out and asking questions to get the emergency contraception have been parents of young people who are worried, and sometimes it’s someone who is not even a teenager yet,” Bellis said.

The Missouri Family Health Council continues to offer kits statewide. Kits can be requested through the council’s website and are shipped directly to individuals.

South Carolina’s playoff hopes are still in play, with a crucial matchup against No. 24 Missouri looming this weekend. However, the Tigers may be facing a major setback, as star quarterback Brady Cook—who’s racked up an impressive 8,291 career passing yards and 46 touchdowns—is currently listed as doubtful after suffering an injury. Missouri’s offense has leaned heavily on Cook’s impact and playmaking, making his potential absence a game-changer.

Further compounding Missouri’s challenge is the loss of their backup QB, Sam Horn. The redshirt sophomore was once a top Gamecock target and a four-star prospect known for his chemistry with Travis Hunter in high school. Now, with both Cook and Horn unavailable, Missouri will look to veteran transfer Drew Pyne. Pyne, who previously played at Notre Dame and Arizona State, has career stats of 2,921 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. While he has experience, his performance has been inconsistent, leading to a backup role over recent seasons. This situation puts Missouri in a vulnerable spot, one that seems to favor the Gamecocks.

For South Carolina, this game is a pivotal step in their quest for a playoff path. Though the playoff is far from guaranteed, ESPN’s Playoff Predictor currently gives South Carolina a 27% chance to make it if they win out—a prediction that fluctuated this week. The app lays out a scenario where, should the Gamecocks keep their momentum and continue winning, they could finish 11th, potentially setting up a first-round clash with Penn State. While only a prediction, it’s a tantalizing possibility for Gamecock fans eager to see their team break into the national spotlight.

According to ESPN, South Carolina has a 70% chance to win on Saturday, and a victory here would fuel their playoff hopes, however uncertain. For Shane Beamer’s squad, this is more than just another game—it’s a chance to keep those postseason dreams alive and showcase South Carolina as a rising contender.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3)—Pharmacies across the Show-Me-State are shutting down, creating a growing gap in access to essential medications.

Across the U.S., pharmacies are closing their doors, and Missourians already feel the impact.

“People are frustrated and, you know, not understanding what’s happening behind the counter, that takes that takes a lot out of you, and creates some burnout” said, Erica Mahn a pharmacist at Alps Pharmacy in Springfield.

She warns that the future of the profession is at risk, and if this trend continues, the Pharmacist shortage will only worsen over the next few years.

“Pharmacy schools are seeing a lower enrollment, and I think a lot of that does have to do with COVID, and all the times and things we saw during COVID, pharmacists had to take a lot on their shoulders…”

Because of the issue, many pharmacies across the Ozarks are closing early or shortening their weekly hours. Some are even closing down on weekends.

“Several stores just down the street the last three days haven’t had a pharmacist. So they’ve been closed. So I have had frustrated patients in here at our counter trying to figure out how they get their medications.”

But this isn’t the only issue. Another southwest Missouri pharmacist says the middlemen are “killing community pharmacies.”

One problem is that pharmacy benefit managers force small business owners to buy drugs at prices much higher than any reimbursement. This means the pharmacy loses money when you buy the drug from them.

The latest example of a business closing is Evans Pharmacy. Citizens Memorial Hospital recently bought two Evan Pharmacy locations in Bolivar and Buffalo. The Bolivar location will close on November 26. Patient prescriptions will be transferred to Stephens Pharmacy at Citizens Memorial.

“We want to continue to keep those customers that the Bolivar community has been serving over at Evans. We don’t want them to be forced to go anywhere else. We want to continue to provide that kind of service for them.”

The University of Pittsburgh tracks pharmacy closings and shows that 40 pharmacies have closed in the Springfield area within the last 10 years.

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