Von Eschenbach's letter suggested that the decision would hinge on the manufacturer's plan for keeping Plan B out of the hands of minors.
"If after our discussions we conclude that [enforcement] isn't sufficiently rigorous to prevent ... Plan B from being used by young girls who can't safely use the product without supervision," then it will remain a prescription-only drug, Von Eschenbach wrote.
Barr Pharmaceuticals already has proposed limiting over-the-counter sales to pharmacies that agree to keep the drug behind the counter and dispensing it only after a customer shows proof of age.
But Von Eschenbach said the FDA wanted more detail, particularly on whether those restrictions would be written into a formal contract that the manufacturer would enforce.
Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America, said she did not see how such a restriction could be enforced.
"The person who buys the drug is not necessarily the person who will take the drug," she said. "What the FDA would have to consider is a foolproof plan to keep proxies from buying the drug and giving it to adolescents."
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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)
Plan B pill
Morning-after pills are considered "emergency contraception," with higher doses of the hormones present in regular birth control pills. Unlike abortion pill RU-486, morning-after pills are not intended to end an established pregnancy.
How Plan B works
First dose is taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex. Second dose is taken 12 hours later. Pregnancy may be prevented in the following ways:
1. The ovary can delay an egg's release
2. Fertilization may be prevented in the fallopian tube
3. A fertilized egg may be blocked from implanting in the uterus
4. Mucus around the cervix may become thicker and trap sperm from traveling to the fallopian tube
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Sources: Women's Capital Corp., Associated Press
