FDA seeks public comment on "morning-after" pill

FDA seeks public comment on "morning-after" pill
Washington, Sep. 23 (CWNews.com)

Washington, Sep. 23 (CWNews.com) - US federal regulators are seeking public comment on whether the "morning-after" pill should be made available without prescription.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is weighing a request to make the "Plan B" pill available over the counter only to women above a certain age threshold. The FDA has declined to make the pill available to all customers regardless of age, citing concerns that adolescent girls may not know how to use the pill safely.

The "morning-after" pill has been the subject of heated debate in the US, with proponents saying that the widespread distribution of the pill could cut down on the number of abortions. Opponents point out that the pill itself frequently causes an abortion, by preventing a fertilized embryo from being implanted in the uterus. Also, there is no evidence that abortion rates drop where the pill is legally available.

The FDA has never before imposed an age restriction on the use of a product that is otherwise freely available. The agency is seeking public comment on whether such a policy is justified.

Public comments (which should mention the FDA and include either the Docket Number 2005N-0345 or Regulatory Information Number 0910-AF72) can be posted through the FDA web site

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