FDA delays on ‘morning-after’ pill

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Feb.13 that it will delay its decision on whether to allow over-the-counter sales of a “morning-after” birth control pill. A ruling had been expected by mid-February, but the FDA says it won’t decide until May.

The government agency has reportedly been under strong political pressure to reject a proposal that would make the drug as readily available as cough syrup.

The drug, called Plan B, is made by Barr Laboratories. The company announced the FDA is delaying action for 90 days to give time to seek more detailed information on use of the pills by 16- and 17-year-olds.

In December, an FDA advisory committee endorsed prescription-less sale of the pills. The committee said they are safe and called them an important way to reduce the number of abortions.

But critics say they could lead to more unsafe sex and an increase in sexually transmitted disease, especially in teens who might view the pill as an easy solution to irresponsible behavior.

“Without medical advice, use of Plan B by teens will be disastrous,” Dr. John Bruchalski of the Catholic Medical Association told the advisory committee.

Morning-after pills act like birth control pills, preventing ovulation or fertilization. But they can also interfere with implantation of an already fertilized egg into the uterus, making the egg’s survival impossible.

A coalition of conservative lawmakers, led by Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., is urging the Bush administration to reject the approval. They argue it is inconsistent for the administration to advocate sexual abstinence and then approve the morning-after pill.

— E.P. News