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DEL.ICIO.USMorning after pill sales soar
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sales of the controversial morning-after pill, which is sold over the counter, have soared since it became available last year.
It’s safety record and popularity, however, have done little to quiet critics, who are seeking to challenge the Food and Drug Administration’s ruling that allowed the sale of Plan B (as it is known) to customers 18 and older.
Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. projects that sales of Plan B will total about $80 million for 2007, almost double the total for 2006 and up eightfold from 2004. Barr claims a high dose of a drug found in many regular birth-control pills, can lower the risk of pregnancy by up to 89 percent if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex.
Critics say the pill’s availability will promote teenage sex, especially if an older person buys the pill for them and that it is basically abortion. Others say it will help decrease unintended pregnancies.
Do you think availability of the pill fuels teenage sex? Should the pill be made available with or without a prescription? Have you encountered a problem getting the pill?
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