At last Plan B will be, but will von Eschenbach?

Aug 24 2006

It has taken three years but at last the the controversial morning after pill, Plan B will finally be available to women in the U.S. without a prescription.

Attempts to sell the drug without a prescription have been delayed over and over again by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has led to sharp criticism from many that the agency has bowed to political pressure.

The on-going debate led Democrat Senators Hillary Clinton of New York and Patty Murray of Washington to block a full Senate vote on the nomination of acting FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach until the agency decided whether to allow wider access to the contraceptive pill Plan B.

The two dropped their long-standing objections to U.S. President George W. Bush's nominee to head the Food and Drug Administration after Plan B was given approval, but many have been angered by von Eschenbach delaying tactics and are calling for a new nominee.

The FDA has been without a permanent commissioner for most of the Bush administration.

Earlier this week President Bush said he supported von Eschenbach, who approved granting the wider access to the pill.

Following the approval by the FDA the emergency contraceptive pill will go on sale over-the-counter by the end of the year.

Plan B, will be sold at pharmacies only to women over the age of 18 and those younger will still need a prescription.

Barr Pharmaceuticals, say Plan B, a set of two pills, works by stopping or delaying ovulation and may prevent pregnancy if taken by women within 72 hours of having sexual intercourse.

Many including the manufacturers believe the drug should be available to a broader age group without a prescription, but for the moment they are satisfied that the pill will finally be available.

Apparently Barr will discreetly check that pharmacists are adhering to the age restriction.

Women's rights groups believe Plan B will halve the number of unplanned pregnancies in the US, while others warn the decision could encourage sexual promiscuity.

Pharmacists in the UK have been allowed to sell the morning-after pill without a prescription since 2001.