Vending

Student-led company at University of Minnesota launches sexual health vending machine

Photo: Adobe Stock

May 9, 2024

Students at University of Minnesota can now access sexual wellness supplies 24/7 via a vending machine in Middlebrook Hall's lobby.

U of M senior Taylor Stoddard founded Prosperum with a couple of other U of M students to set up a self-service healthcare machine, according to a FOX 9 report. The vending machine offers products like emergency contraception, pregnancy tests and condoms. It also offers over-the-counter medications like allergy relief pills and cold medicine.

"Essentially, you are taking what you would get at a Walgreens, at a CVS, at a normal drug store, and you are putting it all into a self-service machine," Stoddard told the news outlet.

Stoddard launched the machine during Sexual Assault Awareness Month to highlight its ease of access and privacy for survivors of sexual violence.

"It's important for victims of sexual assault and it's important for all students because our healthcare should be private," she added.