‘Morning After’ Pill Is Cleared for Wider Sales

[jfuh]

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 — The Food and Drug Administration today approved over-the-counter sales of the “morning-after” contraceptive pill to women 18 and older, resolving one of the most contentious issues in the agency’s 100-year history.
The drug, an emergency contraceptive called Plan B that is manufactured by Barr Laboratories, will be sold only in pharmacies and health clinics. To buy it, women will have to show proof of age. Girls under the age of 18 will still need a prescription to get the drug.

It's about time. Finally we're following the rest of the industrialized nations. This should've been a no brainer long time ago whether be it for those on either side of the debates.



Source

 

[Jerry]

It's about time. Finally we're following the rest of the industrialized nations. This should've been a no brainer long time ago whether be it for those on either side of the debates.



Source

Any word on a price?

Planed Parenthood may need to have a Blue Light Special on abortions in order to stay competitive.

 

[tryreading]

Any word on a price?

Planed Parenthood may need to have a Blue Light Special on abortions in order to stay competitive.

I read that Barr is thinking $25.00 to $40.00 per dose.

This is one thing that doesn't make sense to me as far as the FDA's prior reasoning to delay this decision:

Higher-ranking officials rejected that recommendation, citing concerns about young teens using the pills without oversight. Barr reapplied, asking that women 16 and older be allowed to buy Plan B without a prescription. Then last August, the FDA postponed a final decision indefinitely, saying the agency needed to determine how to enforce the age restrictions.

Very ridiculous. The liquor stores ask for ID. The pharmacies can easily do the same thing.

 

[jfuh]

I read that Barr is thinking $25.00 to $40.00 per dose.

This is one thing that doesn't make sense to me as far as the FDA's prior reasoning to delay this decision:

Higher-ranking officials rejected that recommendation, citing concerns about young teens using the pills without oversight. Barr reapplied, asking that women 16 and older be allowed to buy Plan B without a prescription. Then last August, the FDA postponed a final decision indefinitely, saying the agency needed to determine how to enforce the age restrictions.

Very ridiculous. The liquor stores ask for ID. The pharmacies can easily do the same thing.

The good thing regardless of, is now it's OTC.

 

[26 X World Champs]

I read that Barr is thinking $25.00 to $40.00 per dose.

This is one thing that doesn't make sense to me as far as the FDA's prior reasoning to delay this decision:

Higher-ranking officials rejected that recommendation, citing concerns about young teens using the pills without oversight. Barr reapplied, asking that women 16 and older be allowed to buy Plan B without a prescription. Then last August, the FDA postponed a final decision indefinitely, saying the agency needed to determine how to enforce the age restrictions.

Very ridiculous. The liquor stores ask for ID. The pharmacies can easily do the same thing.

According to the FDA you have to be 18 to buy it without a PX. I heard on NPR today it might reduce abortion in the USA by 50% or 1.5 million per year....

Do you think the loonies on the right are going to object to this too?

 

[Sir_Alec]

This is a very good step in the right direction. One of the biggest issued I had with the pill was that girls younger than 18 could buy it. Now that is cleared up and I have one less thing to get pissed off about at the drug store.

 

[talloulou]

I think this is great.

 

[Jerry]

I read that Barr is thinking $25.00 to $40.00 per dose.

This is one thing that doesn't make sense to me as far as the FDA's prior reasoning to delay this decision:

Higher-ranking officials rejected that recommendation, citing concerns about young teens using the pills without oversight. Barr reapplied, asking that women 16 and older be allowed to buy Plan B without a prescription. Then last August, the FDA postponed a final decision indefinitely, saying the agency needed to determine how to enforce the age restrictions.

Very ridiculous. The liquor stores ask for ID. The pharmacies can easily do the same thing.

Wow, that's a good price, actually. Any chance welfare will cover it? If so, how much will the promiscuity of young folks raise my taxes?

 

[26 X World Champs]

Wow, that's a good price, actually. Any chance welfare will cover it? If so, how much will the promiscuity of young folks raise my taxes?

Thanks for the great contribution to this debate.

 

[jfuh]

Wow, that's a good price, actually. Any chance welfare will cover it? If so, how much will the promiscuity of young folks raise my taxes?

Oh come on, why did you have to drop it like this?

 

[Ivan The Terrible]

I agree with talloulou. However, I uderstand were Jerry is coming from. I guess you can say I think it's a mixed blessing.

 

[BWG]

Very ridiculous. The liquor stores ask for ID. The pharmacies can easily do the same thing.

The underage buy alcohol regularly. How many 16-17 year old girls have boyfriends that are 18 or over? How many have friends that are over 18?

 

[talloulou]

Thanks for the great contribution to this debate.

I actually thought it was funny and something to think about it as well. Most likely it will be covered by welfare though as I imagine the pill is much cheaper than feeding hungry babies or an abortion. So in the end it should all come out costing everyone less, right?

 

[Dogger807]

I actually thought it was funny and something to think about it as well. Most likely it will be covered by welfare though as I imagine the pill is much cheaper than feeding hungry babies or an abortion. So in the end it should all come out costing everyone less, right?

Sigh.. I was gonna make that comment...you beat me too it:damn

 

[tryreading]

According to the FDA you have to be 18 to buy it without a PX. I heard on NPR today it might reduce abortion in the USA by 50% or 1.5 million per year....

Do you think the loonies on the right are going to object to this too?

Some of them already are. They are worried underage kids will sometimes get the drug. The thing is, underage kids, the ones who want to, find a way to get things they shouldn't, like I did, probably like most of us on this site. Doesn't make us put alcohol on the prescription shelves, though.

I was listening to a local radio talk show yesterday, and the callers who were against the OTC status were lying, almost every one of them, about how the drug works. It causes abortions, it causes abortions! The host, who had offered the subject, didn't correct them because he had no clue what the drug did.

Almost every caller against the new drug status based his opposition on his religion. They had nothing else. The drug is safe, it works, its legal, it will prevent a lot of surgical abortions, its affordable. Its probably safer than aspirin. There is no basis to keep this drug from otc status except due to the need of some people to control others.

 

[tryreading]

Wow, that's a good price, actually. Any chance welfare will cover it? If so, how much will the promiscuity of young folks raise my taxes?

The cost of teenage pregnancy will drop. You will have to support fewer baby mama.

 

[mixedmedia]

I think this is wonderful news. And definitely a step in the right direction towards diminishing the demand for surgical abortion.

 

[Kelzie]

Some of them already are. They are worried underage kids will sometimes get the drug. The thing is, underage kids, the ones who want to, find a way to get things they shouldn't, like I did, probably like most of us on this site. Doesn't make us put alcohol on the prescription shelves, though.

I was listening to a local radio talk show yesterday, and the callers who were against the OTC status were lying, almost every one of them, about how the drug works. It causes abortions, it causes abortions! The host, who had offered the subject, didn't correct them because he had no clue what the drug did.

Almost every caller against the new drug status based his opposition on his religion. They had nothing else. The drug is safe, it works, its legal, it will prevent a lot of surgical abortions, its affordable. Its probably safer than aspirin. There is no basis to keep this drug from otc status except due to the need of some people to control others.

It does...umm..actually cause abortion in some of the cases. Not that I have a problem with that, but there it is.

For the record, I think $25-$40 is too high. Forty bucks is a lot of money to a broke college student. She just might decide to risk it.

 

[americanwoman]

I am still undecided about this.
On the one hand it will probably reduce unwanted pregnancies but on the flip side of that people may be more apt to have unprotected sex thinking , "oh well I can just get the morning after pill."
This is really a tough call. I know woman who have used this pill and have gotten extremely ill from the side effects. So while I am happy it is now available I just don't want to see more diseases contracted from idiots who think it will be okay to have unprotected sex because they have something to fall back on.

 

[Gibberish]

It does...umm..actually cause abortion in some of the cases. Not that I have a problem with that, but there it is.

For the record, I think $25-$40 is too high. Forty bucks is a lot of money to a broke college student. She just might decide to risk it.

But it is still a lot cheaper and I would imagine less emotionally wrecking then an abortion or having a child.

I'm glad they finally passed it. Though I do question the risks of it being used as a alternative birth control by some? What are the risks of it being over used?

 

[mixedmedia]

For the record, I think $25-$40 is too high. Forty bucks is a lot of money to a broke college student. She just might decide to risk it.

I agree, the cost is way too high.

 

[Kelzie]

But it is still a lot cheaper and I would imagine less emotionally wrecking then an abortion or having a child.

I'm glad they finally passed it. Though I do question the risks of it being used as a alternative birth control by some? What are the risks of it being over used?

True, but the type of girl that doesn't think ahead to have birth control before she has sex is not likely to think ahead to future ramifications of not taking the morning after pill. What she is likely thinking (assuming the average user is a college-aged female) is that it will buy at least three pizzas. I'm just saying I would be a lot happier if it was $5.

 

[Goobieman]

True, but the type of girl that doesn't think ahead to have birth control before she has sex is not likely to think ahead to future ramifications of not taking the morning after pill. What she is likely thinking (assuming the average user is a college-aged female) is that it will buy at least three pizzas. I'm just saying I would be a lot happier if it was $5.

Just out of curiosity -- was the $25-40 price set by the manufacturer or the FDA? I presuppose the former, but I may be wrong.

 

[Gibberish]

I would assume the price was set so that the morning after pill could nto be used as an alternate version of birth control. It was priced as being cheaper then an abortion or having a child but more expensive then regular birth control.

 

[talloulou]

True, but the type of girl that doesn't think ahead to have birth control before she has sex is not likely to think ahead to future ramifications of not taking the morning after pill. What she is likely thinking (assuming the average user is a college-aged female) is that it will buy at least three pizzas. I'm just saying I would be a lot happier if it was $5.

Well I'd hope planned parenthood and other such clinics will be able to make it available cheaper.

However I too would be concerned that if it's much cheaper than regular birth control many may decide to just buy the map when they have sex if they are having sex irregularly and not very often. Not sure how safe that would be in the long run. I also worry about girls buying it over the counter and trying to use it when they are weeks pregnant. I'll have to research it more to see what would happen in those cases. Women will clearly be instructed not to take it if they know they are pregnant but I wouldn't put it past someone to try it anyway.