The Bush administration continues to stall on making a ruling which would make the 'morning after pill' available over the counter. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt went as far as to deny that officials guaranteed a 'yes or no' decision by September 1.
The 'morning after pill' is manufactured by Barr Laboratories and is more formally known as Plan B emergency contraception.
According to Leavitt, the holdup is over the use of the pill by girls under the age of 16 if it were to become available over-the-counter. According to critics, the FDA and the Bush administration are simply trying to stall to support their anti-abortion position and constituency. Critics say there are no health-related issues for girls under 16 as opposed to those 16-and-over. It is a simple case the administration's social policy getting in the way of science.
'We did take a step forward in the process,' Leavitt said. 'Sometimes action isn't always yes and no. Sometimes it requires additional thought.'
The FDA called for 60 days of public comment but did not set a decision deadline.
As always, politics is a part of the situation. Apparently, the administration reached a deal with key Democratic senators. As part of the deal, the senators would drop their opposition to
Leavitt's nomination as director of the FDA and the administration would make a ruling on the morning after pill by September 1. Now, Leavitt and FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford claim they only promised the agency would 'act' by that date, not necessarily reach a decision.
'FDA made their commitment to me and I made my commitment to the senators,' Leavitt said. 'The commitment was they would act. They did.'
Democratic Senators Patty Murray of Washington and Hillary Clinton of New York, both of whom withdrew their opposition to Leavitt as part of the deal, issued a joint statement saying Leavitt was playing 'word games.'
'A delay is not a decision and no amount of semantics can change that,' they said.
The Plan B pill has been approved for prescription use since 1999. It contains stronger doses of the hormone progestin than regular birth control pills. If taken within 72 hours after intercourse, it can prevent fertilization.
The fight to make Plan B available over-the-counter has dragged on for more than two years. Those advocating for the availability of the pill say it will reduce unwanted pregnancies and abortions. Those opposed to it claim it would only trigger promiscuity and sexually transmitted diseases.
Republican Representatives Mike Pence of Indiana and Joe Pitts of Pennsylvania said Plan B should never have been approved but allowing nonprescription sales would be 'irresponsible.'
There is no scientific basis for the holdup right now, however. Bruce Downey, the CEO of Barr, the manufacturer of Plan B, was surprised by the holdup over the age of some possible users. He indicated that restricting certain items based on age is already done with tobacco, alcohol and other items. He described the problem as 'manageable' and did not understand the FDA's intention to create further delays.
