Planned Parenthood to close pharmacy late June

TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) - Families will now have to find a new place to fill their prescriptions. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland will soon be closing its pharmacy. The facility in Midtown announced the closure in a letter recently sent to its clients.

The letter explains a contract for Title X grant money was not renewed in Oklahoma. Planned Parenthood directors said the money would have been used towards the pharmacy. The Midtown pharmacy, as well as two in Arkansas, will be closing its doors June 24th.

Kate Neary-Pounds, a Planned Parenthood director of strategic partnerships and development for Oklahoma and Arkansas issued a statement, saying:

"In April, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland learned our Title X contract was not renewed in Oklahoma. The pharmacy at our Midtown health center in Tulsa, which enabled us to meet a requirement of the Title X grant, will close on June 24, 2016. Patients can continue to receive family planning and primary care at the Midtown health center, but there will no longer be a pharmacy on site to fill prescriptions.

Over the past year, we've seen an unprecedented number of local and national attacks on Planned Parenthood. It's extremely disheartening that because of politics, the health and well-being of women, men, and families in Tulsa is being compromised. Despite these political attacks, we remain committed. We will continue to do all we can to fulfill our mission to protect, promote and provide sexual and reproductive health care, education, and advocacy."

Heather Duvall, a director for the Tulsa Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, said the news is disappointing.

"We're concerned anytime we see a reduction in services where teens and families are able to access that," said Duvall.

Duvall explained Oklahoma has the second-highest teen birth rate in the country. She said the closing of the pharmacy could put more teens at risk.

"It has an economic impact on our community, has an impact on workforce readiness when young teen parents are not able to finish high school or go on to complete college," said Duvall.

Now that teens and families will have one less resource to get their pharmaceutical needs, Duvall said this is an opportunity for Tulsa Campaign to work harder.

"Broaden our education perspective and get more information to people who might be concerned and want to know more about what they can do to have a positive impact on our teen birth rate," said Duvall.

All other family planning and primary care services will still be provided at Planned Parenthood.