Penn State and college campuses around the country are experiencing increased prices on prescription birth control.

According to Time magazine, the price increase affecting college students is an unintentional by product of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, which ultimately made it more expensive for drug companies to continue to offer schools deep discounts.

The federal law went into effect in January, and Linda LaSalle, coordinator of Educational Services at University Health Services (UHS), said Penn State is not alone with their new prices.

"Every college that sells contraception has seen these price increases," LaSalle said.

She said the increase began at Penn State in the middle of the spring 2007 semester.

Colleges were not a target of the Deficit Reduction Act, but are considered collateral damage, LaSalle said. She said Congress did not foresee the prices affecting universities to the degree that it has.

"Basically, most birth control was in the $18 to $20 range with the special pricing," said Beth Collitt, UHS marketing manager. "Now, Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo is up to $50 a pack, and ORTHO EVRA Patch is at $50 for 3 patches."

Students who previously purchased their prescriptions at UHS are now going elsewhere for their birth control.

Britney Joswick (senior-human development and family studies) said she previously purchased her birth control at UHS, but her prescription, Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, is a name-brand birth control pill that has more than doubled in price.

"I'm getting my birth control through my doctor at home now," Joswick said. "I'm not going back to campus right now. It's ridiculous."

Collitt said that despite the increases, the prices have not been a deterrent to students purchasing birth control. She added, though, that the pharmacy has seen an increase in generic brand prescription purchases because they have generally remained in the $20 price range.

"But we're seeing that students who are dedicated to the brands are continuing to pay the high prices," Collitt said.

The pharmacy has not seen a decrease in the purchasing of the Nuva Ring, a form of contraception that has no generic brand, even though its price has increased from $20 to $43, she added.

"What will need to happen," LaSalle said, "is that Congress has to write a piece of legislation or add on another bill that includes colleges in the nominal price exemption, which gives us access to low prices."

LaSalle is a member of the American College Health Association (ACHA) Advocacy Coalition, which is working with Congress to find a solution to the price increase problem on campuses nationwide.

"I would encourage students to write to their senators and representatives on Capitol Hill," LaSalle said. "Tell them about what the problem is and how it's affecting them personally."