Will Plan B Really Be Available To Everyone?

Women’s rights advocates everywhere are no doubt ecstatic with the latest news in female contraception: Plan B will now be available to everyone over the counter. Earlier this month, Federal Judge Edward Korman ruled that the morning-after pill should be accessible to everyone who needs it.

Previous FDA mandates for the drug stated that all girls under the age of 17 required a prescription to obtain the pill. This is great news! No longer will we be restricted in our Plan B purchases.

Uh, well, not exactly. The Obama administration has just slightly tweaked Korman’s verdict in order to satisfy all concerned parties, specifically, parties who were concerned over the fact that possible 11-year-olds could overdose on the drug (Judge Korman called that possible statistic “miniscule”).

Now, over-the-counter Plan B and similar pills will only be available to women aged 15 and above, reports the Washington Post. FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg said of the decision:

"Research has shown that access to emergency contraceptive products has the potential to further decrease the rate of unintended pregnancies in the United States. The data reviewed by the agency demonstrated that women 15 years of age and older were able to understand how Plan B One-Step works, how to use it properly, and that it does not prevent the transmission of a sexually transmitted disease."

Meanwhile, girls under the age of 15 require a prescription for the drug.  Women’s health advocates are in someway upset about this take-back (select few groups mind you), but you have to see where the Obama administration is coming from. I think 15 is the perfect age, anything less than that is disturbing.

If you’re one of those feminists who think even restricting sex at ages under 15 are uncalled for, you may need a psychological evaluation.

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