WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.839 Imagine for just a second that you are trying 00:00:02.839 --> 00:00:06.299 to find critical, highly time sensitive medical 00:00:06.299 --> 00:00:09.259 information. But instead of, you know, walking 00:00:09.259 --> 00:00:12.320 into a doctor's office or a clearly marked pharmacy, 00:00:12.660 --> 00:00:15.960 you're trying to navigate the absolute wild west 00:00:15.960 --> 00:00:19.019 of the Internet. Oh, yeah. That is a nightmare 00:00:19.019 --> 00:00:21.000 scenario. It really is. You're sifting through 00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:23.199 search results trying to figure out what is real, 00:00:23.300 --> 00:00:26.100 what's safe, and what might actually be, well, 00:00:26.280 --> 00:00:28.239 an elaborate scam. It's incredibly stressful 00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:31.100 to even picture, right? Definitely. Well, welcome 00:00:31.100 --> 00:00:33.320 to today's Deep Dive. We are so glad you are 00:00:33.320 --> 00:00:35.880 joining us. Today, our mission is to explore 00:00:35.880 --> 00:00:39.020 a Wikipedia article detesting a very specific 00:00:39.020 --> 00:00:41.759 nonprofit organization and public health campaign. 00:00:42.359 --> 00:00:45.200 It's known as Plan C. Plan C, yeah. We're going 00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:47.320 to look at this organization's history, examine 00:00:47.320 --> 00:00:49.740 the highly detailed directory they created to 00:00:49.740 --> 00:00:52.359 help people access medication, and trace how 00:00:52.359 --> 00:00:55.780 some of the most major global and political events 00:00:55.780 --> 00:00:58.140 of the last decade completely shaped their trajectory. 00:00:58.539 --> 00:01:01.560 And before we dive into the timeline, we need 00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:03.820 to add a really quick caveat here. Yes, very 00:01:03.820 --> 00:01:06.189 important. Because this topic covers abortion, 00:01:06.390 --> 00:01:09.129 which is highly politically charged, we want 00:01:09.129 --> 00:01:11.670 to be crystal clear with you that we aren't taking 00:01:11.670 --> 00:01:14.790 any sides today. Not left wing, not right wing. 00:01:14.930 --> 00:01:17.670 Exactly. We are not endorsing any viewpoints, 00:01:17.790 --> 00:01:20.230 actions, or medical procedures described here. 00:01:20.370 --> 00:01:22.790 We're simply acting as your guides to the facts 00:01:22.790 --> 00:01:25.469 in the history, exactly as they are laid out 00:01:25.469 --> 00:01:27.829 in the Wikipedia source material, just mapping 00:01:27.829 --> 00:01:30.129 it out impartially. That is the perfect way to 00:01:30.129 --> 00:01:32.129 frame it. We're just here to unpack the information 00:01:32.129 --> 00:01:35.409 on the page. So with that established, let's 00:01:35.409 --> 00:01:38.730 look at the core identity of Plan C. This nonprofit 00:01:38.730 --> 00:01:42.790 was founded back in 2015 by three women, Francine 00:01:42.790 --> 00:01:46.030 Coetoe, Elisa Wells, and Amy Merrill. Right. 00:01:46.069 --> 00:01:48.230 And their focus right from the start was on education 00:01:48.230 --> 00:01:50.790 abortion. Right. Their fundamental goal was essentially 00:01:50.790 --> 00:01:53.609 to transform how people in the United States 00:01:53.609 --> 00:01:56.709 access this specific type of care. By normalizing 00:01:56.709 --> 00:02:10.360 it, right? Exactly. And doing that while working 00:02:10.360 --> 00:02:13.020 to take the secrecy and shame out of the process. 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:15.120 Right. Moving it from something whispered about 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:18.900 to. just a standard accessible option okay let's 00:02:18.900 --> 00:02:21.439 unpack this because having a lofty goal is one 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:23.819 thing but how they actually went about doing 00:02:23.819 --> 00:02:26.599 it is where we get into the core of their operations 00:02:26.599 --> 00:02:29.860 the primary tool they built to achieve this goal 00:02:29.860 --> 00:02:33.340 is something called the plan c guide the guide 00:02:33.340 --> 00:02:36.120 yes This is crucial. When you read through the 00:02:36.120 --> 00:02:38.060 breakdown of this guide in the article, it's 00:02:38.060 --> 00:02:40.719 not just a simple list of hyperlinks. It is a 00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:43.639 highly structured state -specific directory that 00:02:43.639 --> 00:02:46.900 categorizes several distinct avenues for access. 00:02:47.219 --> 00:02:49.539 And that state -specific structure is vital because 00:02:49.539 --> 00:02:52.020 medical regulations in the U .S. vary so wildly 00:02:52.020 --> 00:02:54.599 depending on where you live. Oh, totally. A patchwork. 00:02:54.759 --> 00:02:57.159 Exactly. So the guide breaks things down into 00:02:57.159 --> 00:02:59.400 very specific buckets to navigate that reality. 00:02:59.819 --> 00:03:02.360 First, you have U .S.-based telehealth clinics. 00:03:02.659 --> 00:03:05.509 Right. domestic operations providing pills through 00:03:05.509 --> 00:03:08.169 virtual appointments and mail services. Then, 00:03:08.289 --> 00:03:10.889 the directory lists trusted international online 00:03:10.889 --> 00:03:14.080 clinics that ship directly to the U .S. It even 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:16.479 includes a category for websites that just sell 00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:18.979 pills outright without any medical consultation. 00:03:19.300 --> 00:03:22.180 Yeah, which is a big distinction. It is. These 00:03:22.180 --> 00:03:24.699 sites essentially operate as online pharmacies, 00:03:24.699 --> 00:03:27.379 and Plan C actually lists out their pricing and 00:03:27.379 --> 00:03:29.719 shipping details right there in the guide so 00:03:29.719 --> 00:03:32.400 users can compare them side by side. They are 00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:35.219 completely mapping out the landscape of what 00:03:35.219 --> 00:03:37.379 is available without a traditional prescription. 00:03:37.949 --> 00:03:41.849 But the directory extends beyond just clinical 00:03:41.849 --> 00:03:44.349 or commercial providers. It gets into the community 00:03:44.349 --> 00:03:47.310 aspect, right? Yes. It points individuals toward 00:03:47.310 --> 00:03:50.169 community support, highlighting peer -to -peer 00:03:50.169 --> 00:03:52.969 community networks. These are grassroots groups 00:03:52.969 --> 00:03:55.569 that assist with obtaining and mailing pills 00:03:55.569 --> 00:03:58.099 locally. And of course, they also provide directories 00:03:58.099 --> 00:04:00.039 for traditional in -person clinics for those 00:04:00.039 --> 00:04:02.280 who prefer or need face -to -face care. It's 00:04:02.280 --> 00:04:04.500 just a massive amount of logistical information. 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:07.020 It really is. But there is a whole other layer 00:04:07.020 --> 00:04:09.500 to this guide that focuses heavily on the user's 00:04:09.500 --> 00:04:11.900 environment and safety. What's fascinating here 00:04:11.900 --> 00:04:14.919 is the inclusion of dedicated legal and safety 00:04:14.919 --> 00:04:16.579 guidance. Yeah, they don't just leave you hanging. 00:04:17.100 --> 00:04:19.180 Right. The guide doesn't just hand you a website 00:04:19.180 --> 00:04:21.980 and say, good luck. It provides general information 00:04:21.980 --> 00:04:24.199 on the potential legal risks and the digital 00:04:24.199 --> 00:04:26.519 privacy considerations that come with ordering 00:04:26.519 --> 00:04:29.040 and using these medications online. Because operating 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:31.339 in this space carries certain legal risks for 00:04:31.339 --> 00:04:33.779 the user depending on their jurisdiction. Exactly. 00:04:33.800 --> 00:04:36.899 And the organization attempts to provide a framework 00:04:36.899 --> 00:04:39.379 for navigating that digital footprint. And they 00:04:39.379 --> 00:04:42.259 pair that legal and safety information with actual 00:04:42.259 --> 00:04:46.379 human support. The guide lists live phone and 00:04:46.379 --> 00:04:49.220 tech support hotlines, specifically calling out 00:04:49.220 --> 00:04:52.160 resources like the M plus A hotline and IACONTIGO, 00:04:52.319 --> 00:04:55.060 which offer confidential assistance. Which is 00:04:55.060 --> 00:04:57.620 so important. I mean, think about how overwhelming 00:04:57.620 --> 00:05:00.100 medical research can be for you on a normal Tuesday. 00:05:00.660 --> 00:05:02.959 Imagine trying to figure all of this out in a 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:05.500 high stress, highly time sensitive situation. 00:05:05.500 --> 00:05:08.000 It would be paralyzing. Totally. By regularly 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:10.779 updating this guide, Plan C is essentially creating 00:05:10.779 --> 00:05:13.399 a tool designed to cut through a massive wall 00:05:13.399 --> 00:05:16.019 of information overload. They are trying to give 00:05:16.019 --> 00:05:18.480 individuals a sense of agency and clarity in 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:21.199 an incredibly complex health care system. And 00:05:21.199 --> 00:05:24.079 that concept of agency ties directly into the 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:27.620 organization's overarching philosophy. They identified 00:05:27.620 --> 00:05:30.579 four main pillars for their campaign. What were 00:05:30.579 --> 00:05:33.329 those again? researching how people are actually 00:05:33.329 --> 00:05:36.009 accessing these pills in the real world connecting 00:05:36.009 --> 00:05:39.089 individuals to telehealth options advocating 00:05:39.089 --> 00:05:41.730 for over -the -counter access to take the stigma 00:05:41.730 --> 00:05:45.439 away and disrupting what they view as unjust 00:05:45.439 --> 00:05:48.300 barriers to care. Right. And to really understand 00:05:48.300 --> 00:05:50.839 how they developed the confidence to build this 00:05:50.839 --> 00:05:52.939 directory in the first place, it helps to look 00:05:52.939 --> 00:05:54.980 at the history of the founders themselves. Yeah, 00:05:55.019 --> 00:05:56.800 their backgrounds are key here. Let's do a little 00:05:56.800 --> 00:05:59.379 time travel. We are heading back to the 1990s. 00:05:59.379 --> 00:06:02.360 Okay, the 90s. Long before Plan C existed, two 00:06:02.360 --> 00:06:05.199 of the founders, Elisa Wells and Francine Coetho, 00:06:06.009 --> 00:06:08.009 were already highly active in the reproductive 00:06:08.009 --> 00:06:09.850 health space. Right, they had a track record. 00:06:10.009 --> 00:06:12.910 A huge one. They actually worked on the campaign 00:06:12.910 --> 00:06:15.170 to get Plan B, the morning -after pill approved 00:06:15.170 --> 00:06:17.790 by the FDA for over -the -counter sale. Which 00:06:17.790 --> 00:06:20.850 is a massive detail. That historical context 00:06:20.850 --> 00:06:23.529 is crucial. Getting a restricted reproductive 00:06:23.529 --> 00:06:26.509 medication moved from behind the pharmacist's 00:06:26.509 --> 00:06:29.149 counter out into the public aisle is a massive... 00:06:29.610 --> 00:06:32.189 regulatory and cultural paradigm shift. It's 00:06:32.189 --> 00:06:34.029 not something that just happens overnight. No, 00:06:34.129 --> 00:06:36.589 not at all. It requires a deep understanding 00:06:36.589 --> 00:06:39.930 of FDA protocols, public health campaigns and 00:06:39.930 --> 00:06:43.129 consumer behavior. The founders took that exact 00:06:43.129 --> 00:06:46.600 playbook. and applied it to a new objective when 00:06:46.600 --> 00:06:49.279 the Plan C website officially launched in 2016. 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:52.019 And that 2016 launch brings us to one of the 00:06:52.019 --> 00:06:54.660 most wild details we found in the source stack. 00:06:54.779 --> 00:06:56.839 Oh, this part is incredible. When they started 00:06:56.839 --> 00:06:59.220 looking at the landscape of online abortion pills, 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:01.680 they didn't just aggregate links they found on 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:04.019 Google. To figure out what was actually being 00:07:04.019 --> 00:07:07.420 sold online, they took a really unorthodox approach. 00:07:07.899 --> 00:07:10.560 They basically became mystery shoppers for abortion 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:13.019 pills. It's so crazy to think about. They went 00:07:13.019 --> 00:07:14.899 to these websites. sites claiming to be pharmacies, 00:07:14.980 --> 00:07:18.279 ordered the pills, paid for them and waited to 00:07:18.279 --> 00:07:20.019 see what would arrive in the mail. And they didn't 00:07:20.019 --> 00:07:23.839 stop there? No. Once the packages arrived, they 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:26.560 actually tested the medication in the lab to 00:07:26.560 --> 00:07:28.480 verify the active pharmaceutical ingredients 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:30.959 and the dosages. Wait, so they just went online, 00:07:31.220 --> 00:07:33.740 bought restricted medications from random websites 00:07:33.740 --> 00:07:36.800 themselves, and ran lab tests to see who was 00:07:36.800 --> 00:07:39.060 real and who was sending fake pills? That's exactly 00:07:39.060 --> 00:07:41.240 what they did. They acted as an independent quality 00:07:41.240 --> 00:07:44.040 control board for the Internet. Wow. They evaluated 00:07:44.040 --> 00:07:47.100 the shipping times, the packaging, whether there 00:07:47.100 --> 00:07:49.620 were hidden fees, and most importantly, whether 00:07:49.620 --> 00:07:51.720 the pills contained the... actual medication 00:07:51.720 --> 00:07:53.899 they claimed to. And then they published it. 00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:56.360 Yes. Once they had those scientific results, 00:07:56.579 --> 00:07:59.360 they published their findings publicly as the 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:02.279 Plan C report card. It is an incredible way to 00:08:02.279 --> 00:08:04.199 approach the unknown. I mean, they knew people 00:08:04.199 --> 00:08:06.160 were already searching for these solutions online, 00:08:06.459 --> 00:08:09.339 often out of total desperation. Right. So they 00:08:09.339 --> 00:08:11.480 took on the risk of testing the gray market supply 00:08:11.480 --> 00:08:14.439 chain themselves to give people reliable data. 00:08:14.970 --> 00:08:17.269 And that commitment to research evolved significantly. 00:08:17.870 --> 00:08:21.430 By 2018, they took a major step into formal academic 00:08:21.430 --> 00:08:24.410 research. Yes. They became involved in the 2018 00:08:24.410 --> 00:08:27.310 SHAT study. Which stands for California Home 00:08:27.310 --> 00:08:29.769 Abortion by Telehealth, right? Exactly. This 00:08:29.769 --> 00:08:31.790 is a collaboration with researchers at the University 00:08:31.790 --> 00:08:34.350 of California, San Francisco. The study was designed 00:08:34.350 --> 00:08:36.669 to deeply understand the experiences of patients 00:08:36.669 --> 00:08:39.649 across the U .S. who are utilizing virtual clinics. 00:08:39.950 --> 00:08:43.629 And UCSF is a massive, highly respected medical 00:08:43.629 --> 00:08:46.629 research institution. So they were taking this 00:08:46.629 --> 00:08:50.649 grassroots mystery shopper concept and elevating 00:08:50.649 --> 00:08:53.269 it to peer reviewed science. Because medical 00:08:53.269 --> 00:08:55.590 consensus doesn't just change. because an organization 00:08:55.590 --> 00:08:58.009 says a process is safe. Right. You need the hard 00:08:58.009 --> 00:09:00.970 data. You need rigorous institutional data measuring 00:09:00.970 --> 00:09:04.950 patient outcomes, safety, and efficacy. By partnering 00:09:04.950 --> 00:09:08.129 with UCSF, they were working to validate telehealth 00:09:08.129 --> 00:09:10.929 as a viable, evidence -based option within the 00:09:10.929 --> 00:09:13.129 broader medical community. Building a rock -solid 00:09:13.129 --> 00:09:15.649 foundation of data. Precisely. To prove that 00:09:15.649 --> 00:09:17.690 patients could safely manage this care at home. 00:09:17.899 --> 00:09:19.919 And clearly there was a massive public demand 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:22.539 for that data and that directory. Because by 00:09:22.539 --> 00:09:25.580 2019, the Plan C website was drawing over 50 00:09:25.580 --> 00:09:28.539 ,000 visitors every single month. That's a huge 00:09:28.539 --> 00:09:31.129 number for a relatively new nonprofit. People 00:09:31.129 --> 00:09:33.289 were searching for this information from all 00:09:33.289 --> 00:09:36.789 50 states. They were building this steady grassroots 00:09:36.789 --> 00:09:40.370 momentum. Everything changed. The entire global 00:09:40.370 --> 00:09:43.889 context changed overnight, fundamentally altering 00:09:43.889 --> 00:09:45.470 the health care landscape they were operating 00:09:45.470 --> 00:09:47.629 in. Here's where it gets really interesting. 00:09:47.950 --> 00:09:52.110 April 2020. The onset of the COVID -19 pandemic. 00:09:52.190 --> 00:09:54.750 Everything locks down. If we connect this to 00:09:54.750 --> 00:09:58.000 the bigger picture. The pandemic acted as a massive 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:00.580 catalyst for telehealth across the entire medical 00:10:00.580 --> 00:10:02.679 spectrum. Yeah, suddenly you couldn't just walk 00:10:02.679 --> 00:10:04.960 into a doctor's office for a routine consultation. 00:10:05.100 --> 00:10:09.100 For Plan C, the impact was profound. The medical 00:10:09.100 --> 00:10:11.759 community had to immediately expedite the adoption 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:14.960 of no -test protocols. Because of the safer -at 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:17.159 -home orders. Right. Patients couldn't easily 00:10:17.159 --> 00:10:19.519 go into clinics for routine ultrasounds or blood 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:23.019 work. And at the exact same time, the FDA temporarily 00:10:23.019 --> 00:10:25.940 lifted its restrictions on shipping Mifepristone, 00:10:26.100 --> 00:10:28.299 which is one of the two primary medications used 00:10:28.299 --> 00:10:30.879 in this process, through the mail. It was basically 00:10:30.879 --> 00:10:33.879 a perfect storm of regulatory changes and sudden 00:10:33.879 --> 00:10:36.580 logistical necessity. It really was. And during 00:10:36.580 --> 00:10:40.559 this exact window, Plan C issued a call to providers. 00:10:41.019 --> 00:10:43.740 They essentially broadcast a message to the medical 00:10:43.740 --> 00:10:46.470 and startup community saying, look. The need 00:10:46.470 --> 00:10:49.309 is skyrocketing. People are stuck at home. The 00:10:49.309 --> 00:10:51.789 regulations have temporarily eased and there 00:10:51.789 --> 00:10:54.029 is a huge opportunity to serve patients through 00:10:54.029 --> 00:10:56.250 telehealth right now. And the startup community 00:10:56.250 --> 00:10:59.279 responded rapidly. They really did. This period, 00:10:59.460 --> 00:11:02.059 driven by the pandemic and Plan C's call to action, 00:11:02.220 --> 00:11:06.220 directly spurred the launch of several new telehealth 00:11:06.220 --> 00:11:08.700 abortion startups. Companies like Abortion on 00:11:08.700 --> 00:11:12.779 Demand, CHOI, and Haygene. Exactly. They emerged 00:11:12.779 --> 00:11:15.820 during this massive acceleration of virtual care, 00:11:16.039 --> 00:11:18.399 building their business models around the exact 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:20.919 telehealth framework Plan C had been researching 00:11:20.919 --> 00:11:23.149 and advocating for. The pandemic essentially 00:11:23.149 --> 00:11:25.769 forced the system that Plan C had been envisioning 00:11:25.769 --> 00:11:28.889 since 2015 to become a mainstream reality almost 00:11:28.889 --> 00:11:31.409 overnight. A total paradigm shift. But as we 00:11:31.409 --> 00:11:32.950 keep moving through the timeline, the regulatory 00:11:32.950 --> 00:11:35.409 pendulum swings violently in the other direction. 00:11:35.570 --> 00:11:38.330 We get to 2022 and the Supreme Court's Dobbs 00:11:38.330 --> 00:11:41.250 v. Jackson decision. And then the complete overturning 00:11:41.250 --> 00:11:44.289 of Roe v. Wade in 2023. This represents a monumental 00:11:44.289 --> 00:11:47.409 pivot point. The Dobbs decision returned the 00:11:47.409 --> 00:11:50.889 power to regulate or ban abortion entirely to 00:11:50.889 --> 00:11:54.330 individual states. Creating an incredibly fractured 00:11:54.330 --> 00:11:57.450 map. Exactly. A medical procedure that was perfectly 00:11:57.450 --> 00:12:00.070 legal in one state became a criminal offense 00:12:00.070 --> 00:12:03.009 just across the border. Federal protections vanished. 00:12:03.309 --> 00:12:06.429 So how did Plan C react to that? In response, 00:12:06.649 --> 00:12:09.129 they significantly increased the information 00:12:09.129 --> 00:12:11.590 they made available regarding alternate ways 00:12:11.590 --> 00:12:14.750 to access pills. They heavily focused on resources 00:12:14.750 --> 00:12:17.309 to help people safely self -manage abortions 00:12:17.309 --> 00:12:19.769 at home when local clinics were forced to close. 00:12:20.190 --> 00:12:22.330 And one of the most striking adaptations they 00:12:22.330 --> 00:12:25.750 made during that chaotic period in 2022 was heavily 00:12:25.750 --> 00:12:28.149 promoting a concept called advanced provision. 00:12:28.590 --> 00:12:30.750 Advanced provision is a critical concept here. 00:12:30.830 --> 00:12:32.269 Let's explain that because it's fascinating. 00:12:32.570 --> 00:12:35.090 It is the option to order these medications in 00:12:35.090 --> 00:12:37.289 advance while you are not pregnant so that they 00:12:37.289 --> 00:12:39.409 will be available in your medicine cabinet if 00:12:39.409 --> 00:12:41.190 they're ever needed at some point in the future. 00:12:41.330 --> 00:12:44.049 It shifts the entire model from reactive health 00:12:44.049 --> 00:12:46.490 care to completely proactive medical preparedness. 00:12:46.830 --> 00:12:50.200 It is exactly like keeping an EpiPen. or an emergency 00:12:50.200 --> 00:12:52.980 inhaler in your house just in case, but applied 00:12:52.980 --> 00:12:55.740 to reproductive health. And Plan C expanded their 00:12:55.740 --> 00:12:58.240 directory to specifically include organizations 00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:00.980 offering this advanced provision service. Right. 00:13:01.059 --> 00:13:04.620 Naming groups like Aid Access, Carafum, Women 00:13:04.620 --> 00:13:07.820 on Web, and the Massachusetts Medication Abortion 00:13:07.820 --> 00:13:11.159 Access Project, or the MAP. By pushing advanced 00:13:11.159 --> 00:13:14.220 provision, they were helping users build a physical 00:13:14.220 --> 00:13:17.559 buffer against suddenly changing state laws or 00:13:17.559 --> 00:13:19.860 disruptions in the medical system. Because if 00:13:19.860 --> 00:13:21.919 the legal status of the medication in your state 00:13:21.919 --> 00:13:24.679 might change tomorrow... Advanced provision ensures 00:13:24.679 --> 00:13:26.620 you already have the medication in your physical 00:13:26.620 --> 00:13:29.299 possession today. It completely bypasses the 00:13:29.299 --> 00:13:31.500 urgency of trying to navigate shipping times 00:13:31.500 --> 00:13:34.000 during a crisis. It is a fascinating strategic 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:36.919 shift. Now, as we bring the timeline right up 00:13:36.919 --> 00:13:39.679 to 2024, the source material reveals a detail 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:41.580 about the market economics of all this that is 00:13:41.580 --> 00:13:44.299 truly staggering. Oh, the cost aspect. Yes. We 00:13:44.299 --> 00:13:45.840 have talked about the medical shifts and the 00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:48.059 legal battles, but we really need to talk about 00:13:48.059 --> 00:13:51.679 the cost. The economics of this space are incredibly 00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:55.200 revealing. when it comes to the power of centralized 00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:57.990 information. Because of the directory. Right. 00:13:58.230 --> 00:14:00.929 Because the Plan C guide became so prominent 00:14:00.929 --> 00:14:04.070 and so heavily trafficked, it created an intensely 00:14:04.070 --> 00:14:06.470 competitive environment for the providers listed 00:14:06.470 --> 00:14:08.809 within it. Everyone wanted to be in the first 00:14:08.809 --> 00:14:10.850 few results of that directory. And basic market 00:14:10.850 --> 00:14:13.750 economics took over. Exactly. That increased 00:14:13.750 --> 00:14:16.610 visibility and direct competition drove the prices 00:14:16.610 --> 00:14:19.370 down significantly. I mean, think about how American 00:14:19.370 --> 00:14:21.289 health care usually works for you. You almost 00:14:21.289 --> 00:14:23.669 never know the price of a service until you get 00:14:23.669 --> 00:14:26.149 the bill in the mail weeks later. It relies entirely 00:14:26.149 --> 00:14:29.230 on information. asymmetry. But Plan C put all 00:14:29.230 --> 00:14:31.210 the prices right next to each other on one page. 00:14:31.529 --> 00:14:34.649 Let's look at the numbers. By 2024, the cost 00:14:34.649 --> 00:14:37.330 for these pills by mail without a clinician consultation 00:14:37.330 --> 00:14:41.909 dropped to between $25 and $28. And that is contrasted 00:14:41.909 --> 00:14:44.029 with the cost of services that include a full 00:14:44.029 --> 00:14:47.029 telehealth consultation with a U .S.-based clinician, 00:14:47.190 --> 00:14:50.269 which traditionally averaged around $150. Which 00:14:50.269 --> 00:14:52.690 is already a drop, but it goes further. It does. 00:14:53.500 --> 00:14:56.000 The directory created such fierce competition 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:59.080 that the lowest cost telehealth provider began 00:14:59.080 --> 00:15:02.039 offering their service across all 50 states for 00:15:02.039 --> 00:15:06.460 a minimum payment of just $5. $5. $5. You can 00:15:06.460 --> 00:15:09.480 barely buy a fancy iced coffee for $5, let alone 00:15:09.480 --> 00:15:11.820 a medical consultation and the delivery of prescription 00:15:11.820 --> 00:15:14.559 medication across all 50 states. It's an unbelievable 00:15:14.559 --> 00:15:17.440 drop in cost. And it is directly attributed to 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:20.200 the transparent, competitive marketplace created 00:15:20.200 --> 00:15:22.679 by the directory. It demonstrates how a nonprofit 00:15:22.679 --> 00:15:27.200 organization utilized hard market forces to further 00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:29.879 their primary goal of eliminating barriers to 00:15:29.879 --> 00:15:33.539 access. By forcing providers into a price war 00:15:33.539 --> 00:15:36.419 for top billing on their site, they made the 00:15:36.419 --> 00:15:38.779 care fundamentally more accessible to lower income 00:15:38.779 --> 00:15:41.159 individuals. But they didn't just rely on crushing 00:15:41.159 --> 00:15:43.139 market inefficiency. They also went after the 00:15:43.139 --> 00:15:45.419 cultural narrative. Right. The source outlines 00:15:45.419 --> 00:15:48.240 an entire section on Plan C's cultural footprint. 00:15:48.519 --> 00:15:51.559 In 2023, the organization was actually the subject 00:15:51.559 --> 00:15:54.340 of a documentary film, appropriately titled Plan 00:15:54.340 --> 00:15:57.580 C. Directed by Tracy Droz -Tregos. The documentary 00:15:57.580 --> 00:16:00.059 focused heavily on their grassroots efforts, 00:16:00.259 --> 00:16:02.600 shining a light on the specific logistics of 00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:04.799 distributing at -home medications ordered from 00:16:04.799 --> 00:16:06.559 the internet and delivered through the mail. 00:16:06.679 --> 00:16:08.879 And it was a big deal. It received significant 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:12.220 acclaim, premiering at the 2023 Sundance Film 00:16:12.220 --> 00:16:15.399 Festival. And it didn't stop at Sundance. The 00:16:15.399 --> 00:16:19.480 film went on to win a Webby Award in 2024. Specifically 00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:22.080 recognized for its creative use of social media 00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:24.889 for advocacy. Right. Think about that combination 00:16:24.889 --> 00:16:27.509 for a moment. You have a relatively small nonprofit 00:16:27.509 --> 00:16:30.649 organization that is simultaneously leveraging 00:16:30.649 --> 00:16:33.629 brutal market economics. Driving provider prices 00:16:33.629 --> 00:16:36.090 down to five dollars through directory competition. 00:16:36.389 --> 00:16:39.529 And high profile pop culture using Sundance documentaries 00:16:39.529 --> 00:16:42.090 and Webby winning campaigns to normalize their 00:16:42.090 --> 00:16:45.250 cause in the public eye. It is a highly multifaceted 00:16:45.250 --> 00:16:47.690 approach to those four pillars we discussed earlier. 00:16:47.889 --> 00:16:50.750 Research, connection, advocacy and disruption. 00:16:51.090 --> 00:16:53.330 Exactly. They used independent data research 00:16:53.330 --> 00:16:56.450 to build trust, market competition to lower financial 00:16:56.450 --> 00:16:59.250 barriers, and cultural media to push for that 00:16:59.250 --> 00:17:01.769 destigmatization they envisioned when they founded 00:17:01.769 --> 00:17:04.509 the campaign in 2015. So, what does this all 00:17:04.509 --> 00:17:06.829 mean? When you step back and look at the whole 00:17:06.829 --> 00:17:09.849 timeline we have explored today, you see an incredible 00:17:09.849 --> 00:17:12.720 journey. You really do. It starts with founders 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:15.160 physically ordering mystery pills to test them 00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:19.180 in a lab in 2016. It evolves into issuing a call 00:17:19.180 --> 00:17:21.680 to action that helps spark the launch of entirely 00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:24.740 new venture -backed telehealth startups during 00:17:24.740 --> 00:17:27.119 a global pandemic. And it culminates in navigating 00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:29.759 some of the most massive, turbulent historical 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:33.539 shifts in U .S. medical and legal policy by pushing 00:17:33.539 --> 00:17:36.789 concepts like advanced provision. It is a comprehensive 00:17:36.789 --> 00:17:39.589 look at how a single organization continuously 00:17:39.589 --> 00:17:42.849 adapted its strategies in response to a constantly 00:17:42.849 --> 00:17:45.430 shifting legal, medical and digital environment. 00:17:45.569 --> 00:17:48.410 Truly. Now, as we wrap up, we want to reiterate 00:17:48.410 --> 00:17:50.130 our promise to you from the top of the show. 00:17:50.509 --> 00:17:52.849 Today's deep dive was strictly an exploration 00:17:52.849 --> 00:17:55.529 of the contents of the Plan C Wikipedia article. 00:17:55.750 --> 00:17:57.849 Yes. We want to remind you that our show remains 00:17:57.849 --> 00:18:00.450 entirely neutral. We are not taking a stance 00:18:00.450 --> 00:18:02.950 on the politics, the legality or the morality 00:18:02.950 --> 00:18:06.190 of the topic. Our goal today was simply to arm 00:18:06.190 --> 00:18:08.690 you with the facts, the timeline, and the history 00:18:08.690 --> 00:18:11.710 of this organization exactly as it is written 00:18:11.710 --> 00:18:13.990 in the source text provided. Absolutely. This 00:18:13.990 --> 00:18:16.130 raises an important question, though. When we 00:18:16.130 --> 00:18:18.410 look at the pure mechanics of what we read today. 00:18:18.630 --> 00:18:20.950 What's that? Regardless of the specific medical 00:18:20.950 --> 00:18:24.549 focus, this source material forces us to consider 00:18:24.549 --> 00:18:27.970 how grassroots campaigns and digital directories 00:18:27.970 --> 00:18:30.609 can fundamentally alter the delivery mechanisms 00:18:30.609 --> 00:18:33.210 of healthcare information in the modern digital 00:18:33.210 --> 00:18:35.769 age. age. Yeah. It shows how rapidly a centralized 00:18:35.769 --> 00:18:39.309 guide can impact both public awareness and actual 00:18:39.309 --> 00:18:42.009 tangible market pricing. It's a powerful tool. 00:18:42.170 --> 00:18:44.130 That is a brilliant point to take away. And I 00:18:44.130 --> 00:18:46.309 want to leave you with one final thought to mull 00:18:46.309 --> 00:18:48.369 over on your own. Okay. It builds entirely on 00:18:48.369 --> 00:18:51.250 that fascinating detail from the text. The concept 00:18:51.250 --> 00:18:53.589 of advanced provision that gains so much traction 00:18:53.589 --> 00:18:56.910 in 2022. Right. The proactive approach. It represents 00:18:56.910 --> 00:18:59.910 a massive shift from reactive medicine treating 00:18:59.910 --> 00:19:03.390 a condition after it happens to highly proactive 00:19:03.390 --> 00:19:06.000 medical preparedness. So I want you to ponder 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:09.079 this. How might the concept of advanced provision, 00:19:09.380 --> 00:19:12.039 the idea of ordering and keeping specific restricted 00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:14.440 medications on hand for a hypothetical future 00:19:14.440 --> 00:19:17.259 event, reshape other areas of our health care 00:19:17.259 --> 00:19:19.880 system? That's a huge question. And as regulations 00:19:19.880 --> 00:19:22.599 constantly shift from state to state, what does 00:19:22.599 --> 00:19:24.380 that concept mean for the future of your own 00:19:24.380 --> 00:19:26.680 personal medical autonomy? Something to think 00:19:26.680 --> 00:19:28.920 about. Thanks for joining us on this deep dive, 00:19:28.980 --> 00:19:30.200 and we will catch you next time.