Two weeks ago, a federal judge ordered the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to allow 17-year-olds to buy the emergency contraceptive pill Plan B without a prescription and to consider allowing such purchases by younger girls as well. Previously, the agency had set 18 as the cutoff age, meaning younger girls had to consult a doctor to get the pill.
The FDA is reviewing the court's decision, spokeswoman Rita Chappelle says. The agency can comply with the order or appeal the decision, says lawyer Ralph Hall, a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School in Minneapolis with expertise in drug regulation. With an appeal, the ordered change could be delayed.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Tuesday, April 07, 2009 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 4 National Desk 1 inches; 55 words Type of Material: Correction
Plan B contraceptive: An article in Monday's Health section about teenagers and the morning-after pill said a recent Los Angeles County Department of Public Health survey found that nearly 25% of pharmacies were providing emergency contraception to teens without a prescription. The study was conducted by UC San Francisco researchers and referred to pharmacies statewide.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Monday, April 13, 2009 Home Edition Health Part E Page 4 Features Desk 2 inches; 72 words Type of Material: Correction
Emergency contraception: An April 6 article about teenagers and the morning-after pill stated that a recent survey done by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health found that nearly 25% of pharmacies were providing emergency contraception to teens without a prescription. That number refers to the state of California, not just L.A. County, and was cited in a study done by UC San Francisco researchers, not L.A.'s Department of Public Health.
Facing a potentially fundamental change in how this nation approaches contraceptives for girls and young women, we look at what Plan B does, and doesn't, do -- and the controversy about restrictions on access.
Commonly known as the "morning after pill," Plan B works largely by preventing ovulation. If the ovary doesn't release an egg, that egg can't be fertilized by any sperm waiting to meet it. The pill also might hinder sperm travel by thickening mucus secretions and inhibit implantation by affecting the uterine lining.
Studies show the effectiveness of Plan B to be about 89% if treatment is started within three days. Emergency contraception, however, is not as effective at preventing pregnancy as regular use of condoms or birth control pills. Nor does it protect against sexually transmitted diseases.
Groups that support increased access to emergency contraception, such as the Center for Reproductive Rights, say the court's decision puts science ahead of politics. They also say it could reduce unplanned pregnancies and abortions.
Groups that oppose increased access, such as the Family Research Council, say it could increase promiscuity.
When the drug's maker, Barr Pharmaceuticals, applied for over-the-counter status in 2003, two scientific advisory committees for the FDA found that the pill was safe and that it could be used appropriately by patients -- key factors in approving a switch to over-the-counter from prescription.
