Aug 21 2006
The Plan B "morning-after" pill is in the news again following a modified request for federal approval for the pill to be sold without a prescription.
Barr Laboratories, Inc. and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) both say the company has resubmitted the Plan B application but have declined to comment on the contents.
Last month, the agency urged Barr to reapply to sell the emergency contraceptive without a prescription to women 18 and older but wants details on how pharmacists would enforce the age restrictions on such sales.
The company had originally sought approval to sell Plan B over the counter without an age limit but later revised the request to 16 and older at the FDA's suggestion.
The drug can prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours of sexual intercourse.
The approval for access to the pill has stalled at the FDA for years and has engendered determined lobbying by supporters and opponents amid accusations of political influence.
Some Democrat senators, among them Hillary Clinton, have blocked the confirmation of the new Commissioner of the FDA, Andrew von Eschenbach, over the issue.
Supporters of the pill say wider availability could reduce the number of abortions, while opponents argue it may increase promiscuity, particularly among teenagers.
The FDA said earlier this month it was prepared to quickly approve Plan B if Barr increased the age it proposed for over-the-counter sales from 16 to 18 and met other conditions.
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