Health care law (including regulatory and compliance issues, public health law, medical ethics, and life sciences), with digressions into constitutional law, statutory interpretation, poetry, and other things that matter
Friday, August 25, 2006
OTC sales of Plan B approved for adults
After years of hassling over whether to approve over-the-counter sales of the Plan B contraceptives, the FDA has finally relented and announced yesterday that the "morning after" pill would become available for purchase by adults by the end of the year. (NY Times; Wall Street Journal; Washington Post; AP/MyWay) Compared to the original application three years ago, which sought approval for sales by under-18's as well, this is something of a compromise, and a disappointment to advocates for broader access. Much of the agency's foot-dragging was wrapped in official comments that questioned the adequacy of safety data for teenaged users, although critics of the agency believed the doubts were a smokescreen for the Bush administration, which appeared to opposed broadening the availability of this contraceptive on political grounds. Their bottom line -- on a number of issues -- seems to be that they are against anything that might make teen sex a little less dangerous and therefore a little more attractive: "Plan A (Abstinence) or the highway!" Could a government policy be more backward? At least yesterday's announcement is a start. Meanwhile, according to the AP, "[t]he Center for Reproductive Rights said a lawsuit filed last year to do away with all age restrictions would continue."
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