Partial Victory in Morning After Pill Debate

Sound science finally trumped ideology in a partial victory for women as the Food and Drug Administration approves over-the-counter sales of the "morning-after" pill. Religious Right zealots have long pressured policy makers to prevent women from having access to a drug that is simply an increased dose of the commonly prescribed birth control pill. The FDA today announced that Plan B will become available over-the-counter, but only to women 18 years and older. Their decisions leaves out young women.

And while it will be available over-the-counter to women 18 years and older, it will be stored behind the counter. Will some women have to face pharmacists who would rather dispense morality lectures that contraception?

Dr. Susan Wood, former Assistant Commissioner for Women's Health and Director of the Food and Drub Administration Office of Women's Health resigned her position in 2005, in protest over the agency's handling of the application for over-the-counter status. Dr. Wood spoke to attendees at this year's NOW national conference about "how important it is that we make our health policy decisions based on science and medicine and not on anything else."

In other words scientific decisions should be based on sound scientific data, not ideology. I agree!
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‘Morning After’ Pill Is Cleared for Wider Sales

By GARDINER HARRIS
The New York Times
August 24, 2006

The Food and Drug Administration today approved over-the-counter sales of the “morning-after” contraceptive pill to women 18 and older.
The Announcement (fda.gov)