FDA Approves EC for Over-the-Counter Sales
Synopsis: Statement of Melissa Kogut following the FDA's decision to allow the sale of Emergency Contraception (EC) over the counter to women 18 and older.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2006
NARAL PRO-CHOICE MASSACHUSETTS APPLAUDS OVER-THE-COUNTER ACCESS TO PLAN B; TRIUMPH OF SCIENCE OVER POLITICS
Pharmacy Access Under the Emergency Contraception Law Still Needed for Young Women
Boston, MA – Melissa Kogut, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts, applauded the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) announcement today to make the emergency contraceptive Plan B available over-the-counter for women 18 and older.
"The FDA finally decided to follow sound science and increase access to this important back-up birth control method. For too long, women’s health has been held hostage by politics at the FDA and the White House," said Kogut. "This gives women a second chance to prevent unintended pregnancy and reduce the need for abortion."
However, young women are being left out of this advancement. Women under 18 will still need a prescription to obtain Plan B, even though the FDA’s own advisory panel ruled that Plan B is safe and effective for women of all ages. "As we gain more experience with over-the-counter access to this product, we hope that the FDA will move quickly to lift any unnecessary restrictions on distribution," said Kogut.
NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts was a leader in the effort to pass the Emergency Contraception (EC) Law last year over Governor Romney’s veto. The law allows trained pharmacists to dispense EC directly to women without them needing to visit a doctor or clinic first. The EC law will continue to be important for women in Massachusetts, especially for young women.
Training for pharmacists will be more important than ever as they become the first line of contact for women seeking EC. NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts and its partners in the Massachusetts EC Network will continue to support training for pharmacists so they can provide the best care and information to women.
Plan B is a back-up birth control method that prevents pregnancy after unprotected sex, contraceptive failure, or rape. It can be taken up to 5 days after unprotected sex, but the sooner a woman takes it, the more effective it is. Plan B contains a concentrated dose of the same progestin hormone found in daily birth control pills and can reduce the risk of pregnancy by up to 89% when taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex.
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