The Department of Veterans Affairs' Contraception on Demand (COD) program aims to improve veteran access to contraception, as women are the fastest growing group among veterans and are expected to represent 18% of the military force by 2040.

Dr. Deirdre Quinn, the ACore Investigator, launched the COD program in July 2021 during the Veteran's Health Administration's "Shark Tank" competition, according to a July 21 release by VA News. The program was first launched in Pittsburgh and Puget Sound before being taken to the competition.

“I never realized all you needed was an idea, and the Diffusion Team will help you make it a viable project. You don’t need 10 years of research. You just need the spark of an idea,” Quinn told VA News.

The VA offers comprehensive contraception care services with a variety of contraceptive options, but one-third of veteran pregnancies are unintended due to access issues and refill delays, according to the release.

“VA's Contraception on Demand program expands veteran access to reproductive care," VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in the release.

The Pittsburgh VA first developed the COD program to enhance veterans' access to contraception while reducing costs, VA News reported. The idea was sparked by a group of researchers and primary care clinical pharmacists in 2019. After the Shark Tank success, the COD team then replicated the innovation at VA facilities in Eastern Colorado, Miami, Tampa, Orlando and West Palm Beach,

The project involved two strategies: pharmacist-led contraceptive prescribing and dispensing hormonal birth control in 12-month refills rather than the previous one to three-month refills, according to the release. These strategies reportedly had the potential to "save time and reduce burden for both veterans and providers." This would, in turn, reduce costs for the VA.

The COD team continues to collaborate with national VHA program office stakeholders to improve veteran access to reproductive health care, VA News reported.