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Monday, July 28, 2014

Birth Control and Responsibility

A few of us were sitting around having a lively debate about birth control packs. One pharmacist believed that we should label the packs left-to-right so that when the person holds the pack in her hand, she will read the directions on top and the pack will be facing up as she removes it.
The other pharmacist believed it did not matter if the packs were placed that way, or if they were upside down. The packs have words and numbers on them with directions that would automatically result in the patient orienting the pack in the correct manner to be taken.

We were both wrong.
The first pharmacist was correct if, and only if, the woman opening the pack was right-handed. It took a lefty to prove this flaw.
The second pharmacist was wrong because of this phone call:

Birth Control Backwards Girl: I have a problem.
CP: Okay.
BCBG: I took my birth control upside down.
CP: Like on your head?
BCBG: No. I took the whole first week from the bottom of the pack.
CP: Ok. How?
BCBG: I don't know. I just popped the tablets out and didn't look at the pack to see which was week one until today.
CP: No worries. In this case you got lucky. Fortunately all 28 tablets are exactly the same. Next time, open them in the light. Go to the light, Carol Ann!
BCBG: Okay, thanks. I was worried I'd mess up my body or something.
CP: You should work on your mind a little too.
BCBG: Huh?
CP: Nothing. Live long and prosper.




Normal Pack.


Pack orientation for lefties. 


Pack orientation for righties. 

1 comment:

  1. OMG! I thought I was the only one who thought about this question! I tend to flip the pack around so it is facing in the same orientation as the outer label -- just as a reflex. However, I am eternally optimistic that people actually read labeling, which I find is more and more delusional....

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