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George Washington University (GWU) has a new vending machine available inside the student center which offers "morning after" pills to students for a discounted price. According to the Washington Post, the vending machine will offer Plan-B, which is the name brand for emergency contraception pills, along with other healthcare items and medications such as Tylenol, Advil and feminine products. The emergency contraceptive pills will be available at a discounted price of $30 as compared to the typical price of $5o that is usually found in pharmacies. The vending machine is supplied and operated by a private company and was not purchased by GWU.

The effort to install the vending machine was led by GWU students Neharika Rao, the executive secretary of diversity, equality and inclusion for GWU's Student Association, and Aiza Saeed, the executive cabinet's Communications Director. "When you want to reach for emergency contraceptives, CVS — which is [near] the university — can be out [of stock], which can be nerve-racking. So, a reduced price … is really helpful to students," said Rao. "You could get Doritos and Plan B at the same time," Saeed, a GWU senior, said to the Post.

The student government called for the project after Roe v. Wade was overturned last summer. There is a growing number of colleges including Harvard, Stanford, and Columbia, offering emergency contraceptive pills to students as part of the Emergency Contraceptive For Every Campus campaign. Kelly Cleland, who is the executive director of the American Society for Emergency Contraception, stated that there are roughly 32 campuses around the country that offer similar vending machines. Many colleges offer emergency contraceptive pills at their on-campus health center, but with the new vending machines carrying the contraceptive pills in discreet locations, it makes them more accessible to students.

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