Plan B strikes controversy

February 13, 2012 — by Akshara Sekar

t’s a scary world when a minor can go to her local CVS pick up a box of Honey Nut Cheerios, a box of Kleenex and a pack of Plan B pills.

Thankfully, this situation was averted by the Obama administration’s decision to reject a request from the Food and Drug Administration to let anyone of any age buy the Plan B, or “morning-after pill,” directly from a drugstore.

This is the first time that the Department of Health and Human Services has refuted a decision made by the FDA on the basis that drug makers did not fully assure that the product would be safe for younger girls.

t’s a scary world when a minor can go to her local CVS pick up a box of Honey Nut Cheerios, a box of Kleenex and a pack of Plan B pills.

Thankfully, this situation was averted by the Obama administration’s decision to reject a request from the Food and Drug Administration to let anyone of any age buy the Plan B, or “morning-after pill,” directly from a drugstore.

This is the first time that the Department of Health and Human Services has refuted a decision made by the FDA on the basis that drug makers did not fully assure that the product would be safe for younger girls.

According to the New York Times, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius argued that younger girls have different cognitive and behavioral skills than other girls.

Conversely, the FDA asserted that the pill should be sold over the counter for females of childbearing age because it can prevent pregnancy and protect against sexually transmitted diseases.

Plan B does not prevent pregnancy once a female is pregnant, but rather offers help within 72 hours to cease the chances of any accidental pregnancy.

In a surprising move, the Obama administration chose to oppose the FDA’s ruling, which angered abortion opponents and women’s health advocates but please social conservatives.

The use of Plan B has been a controversial issue because the pill essentially prevents an egg from being fertilized. According to the Washington Post, the pill also may prevent a very early embryo from implanting in the womb, an action many critics consider equivalent to an abortion.

According to healthywomen.org, a leading website and blog geared at the well-being of women, Plan B contains high levels of progestin and levonorgestrel, which are harmful to an undeveloped body and have in one pill a higher, harsher and potentially more dangerous dose than the average prescription birth control. An underdeveloped body of a minor may not be able to tolerate the strength of this pill even when the pill is used correctly.

In spite of its hazards for minors, the drug holds a purpose well beyond working as a contraceptive. It prevents the misuse of the medication and reduces hormone levels. Most importantly, it is an after-the-fact to a terrible situation that could lead to life-changing problems.

These beneficial results only hold true for adults who can comprehend and weigh the costs and benefits of the drug; therefore, the drug should be allowed over-the-counter to those over age of 18.

It is clear from the content of the pill, the current social stigma associated with underage sex and the prominent fear of parents that their children are gaining too much independence at their age, that it should not be offered over-the-counter to minors.

However, adults present a different situation. Sensibly, within two days of his decision to order complete banning of the pills in supermarkets and drug stores, Obama changed his decision to only apply to minors.

In the case of an emergency, adults are capable enough to understand the physical and mental ramifications of taking a drug. Similarly, those over the age of 18 are less likely to use the drug in a damaging and inappropriate manner.

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