FDA: “Yes-No-Maybe” on Morning-After Abortion Pill (MAP)
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Should the FDA make Morning-after Abortion Pills available Over-The-Counter? |
FDA expresses willingness to approve Over-The-Counter (OTC) access to MAP in near future
(FPN – Washington, D.C.) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced its long-awaited decision on whether to make the Morning-after Abortion Pill (MAP) available “”Over-The-Counter”” (OTC).
Well… sort of.
The decision, which had been expected before the end of August, is a mixed bag that ultimately appears to be bad news for right-to-life advocates and the tiny unborn human lives they want to protect. In a prepared public statement on August 26, FDA Commissioner Lester M. Crawford seemed to say, “”yes,”” “”no,”” and “”maybe”” to MAP maker Barr Laboratories and pro-abortion advocates who want unfettered access to the abortifacient drug.
According to the statement, Crawford said the following:
- In answer to the question of whether it would be “”safe”” to make MAP available OTC, the agency said, “”yes,”” so long as the pills are only available to “”women”” over age sixteen.
- In answer to the question of whether the FDA will give its final official blessing to MAP-OTC right now, the answer is “”no,”” simply because the agency can’t figure out how to limit access to “”women”” over age 16.
- Instead of simply saying “”no”” to the request from Barr Laboratories, Crawford seemed to say “”maybe,”” indicating the FDA would grant OTC access to MAP if it can determine how to simultaneously prevent minors from gaining access to the pills.
Pro-life lobbyists have been urging the FDA to keep the prescription requirement for MAP largely because, as Wendy Wright of Concerned Women for America (CWFA) says, “It is naive to assume any over-the-counter scheme for the morning-after pill would be effective.” She continues, “A 17-year-old could buy it for a 13-year-old girl. Or worse yet, a pedophile could purchase this drug for his victims.””
Even if there weren’t ethical problems with the use of MAP, the wider access to MAP wouldn’t accomplish its intended purpose of decreasing pregnancies. As Wright points out, “”The proponents’ own study, published in the January 2004 Journal of the American Medical Association, found no decrease in the pregnancy rate – refuting the primary argument for easy access.”
Despite the compelling reasons for the FDA to continue requiring prescriptions for MAP, Crawford’s statement on 8/26 seems to indicate OTC access will be available as soon a politically-feasible way to distribute the pills only to “”women”” over age sixteen can be found. The only hope pro-lifers have of defeating the move is to produce an overwhelming amount of public feedback to the FDA over concerns that it could not be kept out of the hands of minor girls. Judging by the commissioner’s statements on Friday, such a pro-life victory would be an uphill battle.
In essence, the FDA has already decided to say “”yes”” to pro-abortion forces who want to make MAP available OTC. At the same time, they’ve said “”no”” to Barr Labs, albeit temporarily, until they can find a way (ironically) to “”protect”” children who would otherwise gains access to the pills. As CWFA’s Wendy Wright says, “Making the morning-after pill over-the-counter would only benefit those that profit from its increased sales – but the real price will be paid by women and girls who would suffer the health consequences.”
Unfortunately, the greatest price would be paid by countless tiny human lives that never had a chance to speak out at all.
Click here to read FPN’s Policy Paper on the Morning After Pill and learn three reasons why it should be opposed.
Read FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford’s statement on OTC access to MAP:
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2005/NEW01223.html
Read Crawford’s letter to Barr Labs, temporarily denying OTC access to MAP:
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2005/duramed_ltr.html
Read how Planned Parenthood will get $100 million from Barr if OTC is approved for MAP:
http://familypolicy.net/main.php-p-37
LifeSiteNews.com – FDA Again Postpones OTC Decision on Plan B Morning After Pill:
http://www.lifenews.com/nat1569.html
CWA Agrees – FDA Needs Further Input:
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/8803/CWA/life/index.htm