Plan B, pregnancy tests, and $4 COVID tests, oh my!

The vending machine on the first floor of Brooks is like no other vending machine at Columbia: it’s for healthcare. I think it’s really cool that Barnard has this vending machine, especially since a lot of the products are geared towards reproductive healthcare and other health problems that people assigned female at birth are more likely to face. 

I’ll tell you some of the cool things they have in this vending machine and rate whether I think they’re worth buying from the vending machine rather than the pharmacy (or elsewhere).

First things first, the vending machine has $4 COVID tests. Given that two COVID tests at a pharmacy are currently going for around $25 to $30, these $4 COVID tests are very handy. Given that COVID tests can usually last for four to six months, this is a good thing to stock up on before the mysterious respiratory illness makes its way around Columbia for the fifth time this year, not after. 

COVID tests aren’t the only steal. Barnard offers Plan B for $8 in the vending machine when the going rate elsewhere is around $50. In a post-Roe America, this is vital for people who are at risk of pregnancy. If stored correctly, Plan B has a shelf life of around four years, so you can stock up on it before you graduate. 

Barnard also offers an assortment of over-the-counter pain medicine for a dollar in the vending machine. I, personally, don’t think this is as much of a steal because you can get hundreds of those for around $10 at any pharmacy. Maybe if you live in the Barnard Quad or are already on Barnard campus, and you get a headache or start cramping late at night, that will be helpful, but I feel like it’s better to just think ahead and grab your painkiller of choice at the pharmacy. 

They also have a UTI testing kit for $8, so you can know whether what is going on with your body is something to ignore or if you have to go to the doctor about it. The kits aren’t that much more expensive at the pharmacy, but if you think you have a UTI, you’re probably already miserable enough and don’t want to have to trek it to 111th if you don’t need to. More useful in the machine are the Azo pills for UTI pain—those go for only six bucks. 

Other miscellaneous items include a period kit with its price not marked, a $6 hydrocortisone cream, and a $3 pregnancy test. I feel like the period kit has lost its value since all the bathrooms have started including free period products, but these tampons don’t have cardboard applicators, so maybe you’ll think it is worth it. 

For anyone who doesn’t have a Barnard ID, the vending machine’s placement in Brooks can be quite inconvenient. If you’re in need of one of the steals from the vending machine, try asking a Barnard friend if they could grab it for you.

Vending Machine via Author