A federal judge in Brooklyn, New York ruled recently to allow sales of Plan B,
sometimes called the morning after pill, to girls of any age without a prescription.
Planned Parenthood applauded the decision which they say removes a “barrier” for
girls at the pharmacy. The organization’s president, Cecile Richards, called the ruling
“…a significant and long-overdue step forward for women’s health that will benefit
women of all ages.”
Women’s health? Really?
Plan B contains high doses of a hormone used in birth control pills. Yet getting the
pill requires a doctor to write a prescription. There’s a real risk sexually active
young girls will forgo the doctor visit and use Plan B as “Plan A.”
In July 2009, Plan B was approved for use without a prescription for females aged
17 and older. In 2011, the Obama Administration overruled a recommendation
by the Food and Drug Administration to allow teens to also access Plan B over the
counter and recommended against this. Secretary of Health and Human Services
Kathleen Sebelius expressed concern that there is not enough data on the health
effects of Plan B, which contains potent hormones, on young girls.
There are other huge concerns in allowing teens to get Plan B:
One is Sexually Transmitted Diseases. There were nearly 20 million new cases
reported in 2008, the last year for which numbers are available. Most new cases
crop up in young people, ages 15-25. Until now, the fact that girls, thinking they
might need the morning after pill, had to see a doctor to get one, meant a lot of STD’s
were caught and treated early. This is why most developed countries, including
Canada and the majority of countries in Europe, require a prescription for kids to
get these drugs.
Also, removing parental and medical involvement from getting Plan B for teenaged
girls means they’re that much more vulnerable to coercion from sexual partners
who may actually be exploiting or coercing them. Charmaine Yoest, President of
Americans United for Life, blasted the decision, saying, “…this allows young girls,
pressured into sex or even abused by adults to be manipulated into taking pills that
cover up what is a criminal act.”
And Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of the pro-life group, the Susan B. Anthony
List, told reporters the ruling is “…reckless and denies girls the protection that
comes along with the involvement of parents and doctors.”
Family Research Council says this is one area where it agrees with the Obama
Administration. The group is asking Secretary Sebelius to appeal this decision.
Plan B may prevent a living, developing human embryo from implanting in the
womb, thus ending the life of the embryo. Plan B’s packaging states that the drug
can work by causing an abortion. HHS Secretary Sebelius is one of the abortion
movement’s most reliable allies, but she’ll have to stand against them in this fight.
That would be commendable.