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Today, after years of foot-dragging, the FDA put politics aside and granted over-the-counter status to emergency contraception for women 18 and older
And here are the steps it took to happen:
*December 16, 2003: A joint hearing of the FDA Nonprescription Drugs and Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committees votes 23 to four to recommend that the FDA make Plan B emergency contraception available over the counter.
*May 6, 2004: The FDA notifies Barr Laboratories, which manufactures Plan B, that its application for over-the-counter status is denied, citing concerns about adolescent use.
*January 21, 2005: In a highly unusual move, the FDA misses its deadline to rule on the revised application. The agency indicates that review of the medication is expected to be completed in the near future but does not specify a date.
*July 15, 2005: Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Patty Murray (D-WA) obtain agreement from the FDA to rule on Plan B status by September 1, 2005.
*August 26, 2005: The FDA announces yet another delay on issuing a decision on the application to make Plan B available over the counter.
*July 31, 2006: The FDA announces it will open discussions with Barr Laboratories to make Plan B available over the counter for women 18 and over. The FDA states it will not approve Plan B for over-the-counter sale to young women under 18.
*August 24, 2006: The FDA approves over-the-counter sale of Plan B to women 18 and over.
Now I know some of you may think, "Great. The Pro-Choice People are all excited. Their Pill got through." Well, yeah we are, but it also means less women who need to even think about abortions! I would rather this option than having to encourage a woman to have to choose becuase it is sooooo hard a choice to make. I love the fact they can choose, but this mean less women are out there fighting anti-choice people or pro-life people because they had no birth control at the time and may be this will become as unimportant as Erectile Disfuction and we will see commercials on TV for this product!
And here are the steps it took to happen:
*December 16, 2003: A joint hearing of the FDA Nonprescription Drugs and Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committees votes 23 to four to recommend that the FDA make Plan B emergency contraception available over the counter.
*May 6, 2004: The FDA notifies Barr Laboratories, which manufactures Plan B, that its application for over-the-counter status is denied, citing concerns about adolescent use.
*January 21, 2005: In a highly unusual move, the FDA misses its deadline to rule on the revised application. The agency indicates that review of the medication is expected to be completed in the near future but does not specify a date.
*July 15, 2005: Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Patty Murray (D-WA) obtain agreement from the FDA to rule on Plan B status by September 1, 2005.
*August 26, 2005: The FDA announces yet another delay on issuing a decision on the application to make Plan B available over the counter.
*July 31, 2006: The FDA announces it will open discussions with Barr Laboratories to make Plan B available over the counter for women 18 and over. The FDA states it will not approve Plan B for over-the-counter sale to young women under 18.
*August 24, 2006: The FDA approves over-the-counter sale of Plan B to women 18 and over.
Now I know some of you may think, "Great. The Pro-Choice People are all excited. Their Pill got through." Well, yeah we are, but it also means less women who need to even think about abortions! I would rather this option than having to encourage a woman to have to choose becuase it is sooooo hard a choice to make. I love the fact they can choose, but this mean less women are out there fighting anti-choice people or pro-life people because they had no birth control at the time and may be this will become as unimportant as Erectile Disfuction and we will see commercials on TV for this product!
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no subject
Date: 2006-08-24 08:38 pm (UTC)From:Oh. My. God. That gonna be funny. Especially if they pair them with the Erective Dysfunction commercials...
I think they're gonna have to be carefull with their imagery and what they imply with those commercials, tho. Too easy to imply being out of control, innatentive, etc...
Can you imagine? Commercial starts with woman waking up in her severely-messed up bed, clothes strewn all over the room. She grogily wonders why she doesn't recognise some of them (tighty whities!), and then has flashbacks to the debauchenous party the night before. As she returns from her flashback, we realize she's not alone in the bed as the guy she brought home stirrs. She gets a slightly bemused Eddy-Izzard-kinda "Huh..." look on her face, and reaches for the bottle of morning-after pills...
Not that I'm saying that's what will happen. Just considering that scenario as a marketing ploy and its effects... Could be so missconstrued. Well. Anyway. Just my thoughts. I'm a guy so what the heck do I know? I've already got a pill for my sexual problems... ;P
-K
no subject
Date: 2006-08-24 08:56 pm (UTC)From:Seriously, that is true. Marketing could have a filed day with this, but then again there were those crazy Ax commmercials, Order of the Serpentine(www.orderoftheserpentine.com )and quesionable hook-ups stuff!
But again funny if the makreting goes that route..
Hugs
Yippee!
Date: 2006-08-24 08:43 pm (UTC)From:Re: Yippee!
Date: 2006-08-24 08:49 pm (UTC)From:I am not saying that Abortion is the best choice, but it needs to be kept. I just like that there is now a way to prevent having to make THAT choice with this going on! This will (I hope) cut down on women being left to that as a choice and makes it more about them not having to get there.(Does that make sense?)
Hugs and see you this weekend!
Re: Yippee!
Date: 2006-08-24 08:54 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2006-08-24 08:55 pm (UTC)From:I love the name, though "plan B". not "plan A", which are, of course, condoms...
no subject
Date: 2006-08-24 08:59 pm (UTC)From:1) No sex at all
or
2) regular birth control pills
because this is for women and condoms are not really supposed to be thought of by ladies...
I PERSONALLY think both parties should think about birth control, but... I just live in Crazy CA, what do I know.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-24 09:02 pm (UTC)From:And yes, both parties are responsible. still, if a woman is on The Pill, I shouldn't think plan B would be necsicary...
no subject
Date: 2006-08-24 09:05 pm (UTC)From:The Plan B is for those times when you have sex with out birth control or a condom ripes or your pharmistist won't fill your birth control prescription(Mid West issues mainly!). It isn't needed if you are on birth control pills or the patch or one of those methods. It is for other intances... rape, insect, etc.
Caveat
Date: 2006-08-24 10:36 pm (UTC)From:The difficulty is that this is not a simple pill. The drug can have adverse affects if taken while menstruating, smoking or drinking. Taking Plan B while you are taking other medications for heart problems, seizures, blood pressure, diabetes, and even some cold medicines can cause dangerous side effects. Common side effects associated with the use of Plan B® included nausea, abdominal pain, pain in the extremities, tiredness, headache, migraine, menstrual changes, dizziness, breast tenderness, and vomiting. These all speak of a drug that must be administered safely and attentively with full understanding of the consequences. The fact that they have made it available over the counter concerns me greatly. Not primarily because of any issue of pregnancy, or moral questions raised by it intended use, though I do have a concern for the lack of responsibility it will no doubt engender on a portion of the population. My fear is the unregulated use of a complex product that can be physically dangerous if improperly used. The responsibility for our health is our responsibility, as long as we are being properly informed of the potential risks. Several consumer groups including International Drug Information for Consumers & Professionals Council still have concerns of Plan B’s potential dangers. The first high school girl to overdose is going to be a martyr for the opposition, and a sad reminder that the faith we place in the FDA’s omniscient ability to govern our medical well being is hubris.
Shawn
To decide, to be at the level of choice, is to take responsibility for your life and to be in control of your life.
Abbie M. Dale
Contra-Caveat
Date: 2006-08-24 11:59 pm (UTC)From:But you are correct. The Great Conservatives will absolutely seek any reason to decry giving women the right to vot- I mean, reproductive rights! (forgot which century this was!)
XP
Re: Counter-Contra-Caveat
Date: 2006-08-25 03:30 am (UTC)From:My apprehension is that the product is going to be offered without proper clarification. The nature of pharmacology is that the drugs application is more complex than the average citizen can navigate without specialized council. In this case the drug is specialized. As well as the nature of the drug is as an emergency treatment, to be used within a very short time of the sex act. That does not lend itself to clear thinking or proper research. Viagra is still a prescription drug that is classified under the Controlled Substances Act. Plan B is going to be available for over the counter purchase. It makes me concerned.
Shawn
Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual.
Viktor Frankl,