After British Columbia (BC) made long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) free in April 2023, LARC dispensations, which had been declining steadily, went up by 49%, data indicated. The findings underscored the importance of removing the cost barrier for birth control, according to the authors.

The data are particularly important because LARC, which includes intrauterine devices (IUD) and subdermal implants, is the most effective type of contraception, study author Laura Schummers, ScD, assistant professor of health outcomes at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, told Medscape Medical News.

The research was published on July 28 in The BMJ .

Immediate LARC Increase

“These methods are at least 10 times as effective as other kinds of contraception,” Schummers said.

See Full Page