Easier Access to
Morning-After Pills
EDITORIAL, NYTimes on
the Web, August 25, 2006
After more than two years of
obfuscation and procrastination, the Food and Drug Administration has finally
approved nonprescription use of the morning-after contraceptive pills.
Yesterday’s decision will not please advocates of unrestricted access to the
pills, but it is an acceptable compromise that will at least make them readily
available to women 18 and older.
The news is also a reminder of how long the administration has blocked this
sensible move simply to placate religious and social conservatives who consider
the pills akin to abortion or an inducement to unprotected sex.
The morning-after pill, which is actually two pills taken in sequence, is an
emergency contraceptive that can head off a pregnancy if taken within 72 hours
of intercourse, or preferably earlier. That makes it imperative to have
quick access to the pills without waiting for a doctor’s appointment to obtain a
prescription.
Under the plan announced yesterday, the pills will be held behind the counter at
pharmacies and health clinics. Women who show proof that they are 18 or
older will be able to buy them without a prescription. Younger girls will
still need a doctor’s OK. The cutoff was set at 18 because that is the age
that pharmacies and other retailers already use for other restricted products.
The fight over the morning-after pill has a long and sorry history. The
F.D.A.’s professional staff and its advisory committees have long held that the
pills could safely be sold over the counter. There was never any good
explanation for delay beyond the Bush administration’s desire to placate its
political base among social conservatives.
The change of heart seems to be due to a combination of factors, including a
threat by Congressional Democrats to hold up the nomination of Andrew C. von
Eschenbach as F.D.A. commissioner until a decision was made, and a lawsuit
forcing the agency to reveal the machinations behind the delay. The White
House may also have decided that it had milked enough political advantage from
the issue and could let the F.D.A. judge the issue on its merits.
Once that occurred, the call was easy. Since virtually all the scientific
evidence shows that the pills are safe, no self-respecting F.D.A. commissioner
could reject over-the-counter sales without looking foolish and craven.
|
