Yesterday's Miami Herald included a scorching editorial against the FDA's decision to delay approval of the morning-after pill for over-the-counter sales. Begins the piece:
Blame abortion politics for the Food and Drug Administration's unconscionable delay in approving Plan B -- the "morning after" pill -- for over-the-counter sales. Nothing else can justify FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford's recent announcement that approval is on indefinite hold.
First, it works both ways, Miami Herald. Where were you when the FDA caved to abortion politics when it illegally approved RU-486 under President Clinton?
Second, excuse me, "unconscionable"?
CWA outlines what would have been unconscionable on the FDA's part, which includes approving a megadose female hormone pill that has had NO long-term testing conducted, particularly on adolescent girls.
Further, pregnancy rates have gone UP where MAP is available OTC, where it is interestingly advertised in men's magazines, and the World Health Organization says there is a higher rate of ectopic pregnancies with use of MAP.
Someone in Miami, write a rebuttal! Email me if you'd like help: jillstanek@comcast.net
A hypothetical question: if there were a MAP as safe as, say, aspirin, should the FDA approve it?
I expect by "safe" you mean physically safe to use. Even if the MAP were found to be so, the FDA should still not approve it.
The FDA's mission is to "promote and protect the public health" when approving food and drugs for consumption.
Over-the-counter MAPs would be harmful to the public health, particularly young rape and incest victims, whose perpetrators would be more greatly enabled to commit their crimes via MAP.
Additionally, MAPs would be very convenient for men in general to abuse. See the fascinating article, "Morning after blues."
The potential for abuse must also be taken into consideration. All drugs do have that potential, but the FDA is charged with determining which are worst possible offenders. That is why codeine isn't available over-the-counter, for instance.
In that regard, there is great risk for MAP abuse, to be used as primary forms of birth control. Again, we are talking about megadoses of female hormones - one, two, three times a month? That is assuredly going to happen, particularly with irresponsible youth.
Speaking of, having MAPs available will lessen the perceived need for condoms, and it is also a fact that STDs skyrocket in countries with MAPs available OTC.