University of British Columbia May 29 2026 Researchers at UBC found that B.C.'s decision to provide universal, no-cost prescription contraception sharply reduced what patients pay, with the largest financial gains for people in their 20s. Unaffordable contraception is linked to higher rates of unintended pregnancy, which carries significant consequences for health, education and economic equality. Published in JAMA Health Forum , the study is the first to quantify patient cost impacts after B.C.