Plan B, also
known as the “morning after pill”, is currently available over the counter in
the U.S. to anyone over the age of 17. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
gave their public support to the Center for Reproductive Rights’ motion to make
the drug available to all women without a prescription, arguing that it does
not terminate pregnancy the way other pills such as RU-486 (“the abortion pill”
that can be taken up 9 weeks after conception) but merely provides a higher
dosage of birth control hormones to prevent pregnancy within 72 hours of
unprotected sex. It is considered safer than Advil. Two weeks ago, the motion
to eliminate the age restriction on the morning after pill was contested by the
secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, who spoke up against
it stating that young girls would not be capable of understanding how to use it
correctly and should not have access to it without a physician’s consent.
President Obama
had lowered the age of accessibility to Plan B without a prescription to 17
shortly after he took office but this time around sided against the FDA,
agreeing with Sebelius that the age restriction is fundamental.
Judge Edward
Korman of the Federal District Court ruled against Sebelius, and ordered that
the drug be available to all Americans within the next month.
The question of
accessibility to birth control has always been controversial, and this time
around is no different. The risk associated with eliminating the need for a
prescription is that extremely young girls (as young as 11) can purchase the
pill without anyone knowing or explaining to them what exactly they are taking
and how it works. Like all other drugs, although it is considered very safe by
the FDA, Plan B can have negative side-effects if not used correctly - altering
the hormone dosage of a child’s body is not a light decision to make. On the
other hand, making every girl under the age of 17 have to acquire a
prescription from a physician before taking the drug can lead to much worse
scenarios: girls who are in a situation in which they might need Plan B are
most of the time embarrassed and afraid. Being too scared to tell their parents
or any other adult including a doctor could lead to waiting too long and having
to get an abortion later on if that is the case. The issue about the morning
after pill is precisely what its name entails: time is the key factor. Waiting
more than 72 hours can lead to inefficiency and more invasive procedures at a
later stage of the pregnancy.
Although the
thought of young girls buying Plan B without fully understanding its use is
heartbreaking, what should be addressed is the root of the problem. By
educating women, we can empower them and help them make decisions that are safe
and healthy. But as long as young girls are having unprotected sex, taking the
morning after pill is still the safest and most reliable option, and should
therefore be available to all.
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