The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided Friday, Aug. 26, to indefinitely postpone its decision on whether or not to sell Plan B, commonly known as the morning-after pill, over the counter. FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford had promised to reach a decision on whether or not Plan B could be sold without a prescription by Sept. 1, but postponed any decision for at least another 60 days in order to allow public comment on regulations surrounding the drug’s availability to minors. The delay has caused outcries from Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y. “What we are saying today is that there are unique regulatory issues here, that need to be addressed before we can make a decision on this application,” Crawford said in an Aug. 27 Washington Post story. Plan B contains a high dose of progestin, which has been used in birth control pills for over three decades. It works by preventing fertilization and keeps the egg from implanting in the womb. When taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, Plan B is up to 89 percent effective. It was approved in 1999 and made available by prescription. “(Plan B) should be available,” said Eric Halleman, chair of the College Democrats at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. “It will cut down drastically on abortion, (something) everyone seems to be against.” Regulations on age would allow women 18 years of age or older to buy Plan B without a prescription.
According to the FDA, easier access to Plan B would reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and abortions by a significant amount. An FDA advisory committee deemed the drug safe to sell to women and minors without a prescription by a 28-0 vote in December 2003. “On behalf of women’s health, access to emergency contraception is important,” said Cathy Seasholes, director of the Women’s Resource Center at UWM. “It is inappropriate to limit options on what people do when facing a possible unplanned pregnancy.”
Many religious and social conservatives expressed a different side of the argument when they showed up at the White House to voice their concerns during the days leading up to the ruling. Groups of protestors spoke out against easier access to the pill, fearing it would encourage sexual promiscuity among young girls, leading to a rise in sexually transmitted diseases. UWM’s College Republicans argue the pill is a form of abortion. Crawford wouldn’t comment on how soon after the 60 days of public comment the FDA will reach its decision.

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