U.S. Doctors Support Contraception
Two organizations that represent tens of thousands of doctors in separate medical fields have publicly expressed their support for expanded access to contraception.
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said that birth control should be sold over the counter, and not just by a prescription, to fix a problem that is easily ameliorated, according to the Washington Post:
“It’s unfortunate that in this country where we have all these contraceptive methods available, unintended pregnancy is still a major public health problem,” said Dr. Kavita Nanda, an OB/GYN who co-authored the opinion for the doctors group.
Meanwhile, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has endorsed making a prescription for the morning-after pill available to girls in advance—before the emergency—so that no time is lost, thus increasing the effectiveness of the contraception. The pronouncement is being hailed by advocates working to curb teenage pregnancy, according to Salon.com:
“It’s just common sense that requiring a prescription is a barrier,” said Bill Alpert, chief program officer of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. “If an august and respected medical group like AAP is suggesting providing emergency contraception to minors is OK, that is a big deal.”
The Center is leading the effort to make emergency contraception available without a prescription for all ages through our case against the FDA, and we urge officials to heed the opinions of doctors who clearly see unfettered access to contraception as a boon to America’s health.
