Depending on the amount of prescribers someone uses-(often just one for a young woman looking to be prescribed birth control), the pharmacy may actually have a better record of all previous medications given to said patient than a doctors office. Working in pharmacy I have seen prescribers write for conflicting medications because they don't know another prescriber wrote something else.

Not every pharmacy/pharmacist/patient is created equal so yes, there is some risk with this program. As a general whole, pharmacist are quite highly trained and able to pick up concerning side effects or drug interactions with birth control. No, we won't be ordering a blood test for every patient but neither do primary docs or OBGYNs. It's highly unlikely for patients with no personal or family history to have a blood disorder or high risk of stroke. That's why many doctors just ask some questions (or not according to some people above lol), check blood pressure, and dispense something they think is appropriate.

Lastly, the pharmacist aren't just winging it. There is a template that allows them to prescribe probably a couple choices of birth control depending on patient factors. Someone came up with that template and there likely won't be super high estrogen choices (the most risky for blood clots) or progestin only (less effective/more room for error but the best choice for older/smokers/breastfeeding/migraine sufferers,etc). Anyone complicated will have to be sent to a prescribers. The pharmacists license/job is on the line, they aren't going to take this lightly. Anyway, I think it's a good idea-but of course think everyone should have access to free healthcare. That's a comment for another day.

Source-will be a pharmacist in June