New vending machine at US varsity offers morning after pills

Los Angeles, Apr 24: In a first, a vending machine designed by a student of Indian origin, that dispenses the morning after pill, has been installed in a university campus in the US.

The machine called "Wellness To Go" was installed in early April in a study room at the University of California, Davis in the US.

In addition to morning after pill or Plan B, the machine - which took two years to build - offers pregnancy tests, tampons, Advil and condoms.

"The more sceptical and negativity I got from other people like 'oh it's not gonna happen,' kind of pushed me more," said former UC Davis student Parteek Singh.

The vending machine has received both praise and criticism, CNN affiliate 'KTXL' reported.

While some students said that the machine promoted unsafe sex as it made getting the morning after pill cheaper and more convenient than buying condoms from a drug store, others felt it is "a great thing for women".

"This project will make Plan B and other health resources more accessible and affordable impacting 35,000 undergraduate and graduate students at UC Davis," Singh said.

"Since there is only one pharmacy that is open 24/7, students don't have the best access to emergency contraception and other over the counter medicine," he said.

"I feel like every college should have this," he added.