The FDA and Emergency Contraception: One Year After the Decision
On March 23, 2009, the Center scored a major victory when a federal court ruled that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had put politics before women’s health when it decided to limit access to emergency contraception.
In its decision, the Court found that the FDA “acted in bad faith and in response to political pressure” and ordered the agency to go back and revisit the age and behind-the-counter restrictions to emergency contraception.
Today, emergency contraception is available without a prescription, but only for women age 17 and older. Pharmacies and clinics must keep it behind the counter and anyone seeking to buy it must show government issued identification proving their age in order to buy it without a prescription.
These intrusive restrictions, unprecedented for drugs with over-the-counter status, make it harder and more stigmatizing for consumers to get the contraception during its most effective window.
Scientists and medical experts, including the FDA’s own scientific review panel, agree there are no medical grounds for denying young women access to emergency contraception.
Expanding access to emergency contraception is the best decision for women’s health. The FDA has had a full year to review its decision to restrict access to emergency contraception and cannot continue hiding behind procedural delays.
The time for inaction is up.
Tell the FDA to respect the scientific evidence and move quickly to end restrictions on emergency contraception!
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BackgroundThe Center sued the FDA in 2005 for failing to grant over-the-counter status to emergency contraception (a.k.a Plan B) against the advice of its scientific experts and in violation of its own procedures and regulations. In 2006, the FDA agreed to make Plan B available without a prescription, but only to women 18 and over and only behind the pharmacy counter. The Center continued to pursue its lawsuit, Tummino v. von Eschenbach, to ensure that Plan B would be granted true over-the-counter status and made available to all women, including young women who might benefit most from this form of contraception. In its decision, the Court found that the FDA “acted in bad faith and in The Center for Reproductive Rights filed the lawsuit on behalf of |
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The FDA has had a year to remove the politically motivated age restriction and it has not done so.Resources
About the case Tummino v. von Eschenbach >,
Federal Court Rules FDA Must Reconsider Plan B Decision >,
Read the Citizen’s Petition >,
Morning-After Pill Conspiracy: Interview with Annie Tummino >,
