Jane Chastain : Politically Direct

Last Thursday, the FDA announced that it has approved over-the-counter sales for “Plan B,” the morning-after pill, which is essentially a mega-dose of the drugs found in birth control pills.

Birth control pills require a doctor’s prescription because they can cause life-threatening problems for women with certain health conditions. A prescription assures that a woman buying birth control pills has been screened to make sure that these pills don’t harm her health or take her life. That is being responsible.

Making mega-doses of this drug available over-the-counter, without a prescription, is not only irresponsible; it is unconscionable! Read the rest of this entry »

Everybody needs a “plan B” in case “plan A” doesn’t work. However, few would come up with a plan B that could cause serious harm.Unfortunately, the “Plan B” that Andrew von Eschenbach, President Bush’s nominee to head the Food and Drug Administration, now wants sold over-the-counter to prevent pregnancy could cause serious medical complications for some women. That makes von Eschenbach completely unqualified to lead one of the agencies charged with safeguarding the nation’s health. Read the rest of this entry »