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Drug Agency Lowers Age For Next-Day Birth Control [W:297]

zimmer said:
We are fast approaching the Borat Theory of Using Our Reproductive Parts. You can basically say it's the Lib philosophy... and it goes like this...

If there is grass on the pitch, let's play! And if they think they've gotten knocked up, just let them take a jagged little pill.

NEXT!
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15 year old already have sex, dude. The availability of this pill doesn't change that, nor does the availability of this pill affect peoples' approval or disapproval of teenage sex.

Your opposition of this "jagged" pill? It only leads to more unwanted pregnancies, more abortions, more kids being put up for adoption, and more kids being raised by unprepared single mothers who didn't want them. Why would you want more of that?
 
Sarcogito said:
I also have mixed feelings about this. I fully support a woman's (even a young one's) right to abortion and birthcontrol and all of that. My biggest concern is that some teenage girls will use Plan B as a regular form of birth control. That isn't what it is for and taking it too often could have harmful consequences. I hope that is printed in large letters across the box. Perhaps even have a public awareness campaign on it.
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That is actually why it is called Plan B, it is not intended to be anything but a backp and does say this on the packaging.

It is only 95% effective when used within 24 hours (more effective when used sooner), but not nearly as effective as other contraceptives.

Here's the package...

View attachment 67146840
 
zimmer said:
We are fast approaching the Borat Theory of Using Our Reproductive Parts. You can basically say it's the Lib philosophy... and it goes like this...

If there is grass on the pitch, let's play! And if they think they've gotten knocked up, just let them take a jagged little pill.

NEXT!
Click to expand...


I think you are confusing Plan B with RU486 - totally different function and far, far less dangerous
 
CaptinSarcastic said:
I think you are confusing Plan B with RU486 - totally different function and far, far less dangerous
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Oh! RU486 was dangerous... but let me guess... worth it?

You mean the pill isn't designed to abort? If it is, then there is zero difference.
 
mak2 said:
All of my kids are over 18 now. My gut reply is when my kid were under 18 I made ALL the decisions. Abortion is a BIG decision.

On the other hand, I know a lot of parents would not go out of their way to do the right thing for a 15 year old kid and might be more bent on punishment. I guess I really believe kids should not be able to buy any pills without parents approval.
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I don't have girls, but if I did, I would hope that like my boys, they would CHOOSE to come to me with a serious decision like this, BUT, if a child believes that it would better not to go to their parents, I would argue that the parents created the circumstances for the kid to feel that way. The other issue is time, this stuff is not an abortion pill, it prevents ovulation or fertilization, so it really is a contraceptive, but its effectiveness is reduced by the hour.
 
zimmer said:
Oh! RU486 was dangerous... but let me guess... worth it?

You mean the pill isn't designed to abort? If it is, then there is zero difference.
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Plan B does not terminate an existing pregnancy, no.
 
zimmer said:
Oh! RU486 was dangerous... but let me guess... worth it?

You mean the pill isn't designed to abort? If it is, then there is zero difference.
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No, it is literally a contraceptive, a conception prevention drug, just like birth control pills (same active ingredient), but in one larger dose to PREVENT fertilization. It will have no effect if fertilization has already taken place, which is why its effectiveness is reduced by the hour after unsafe sex.
 
zimmer said:
Oh! RU486 was dangerous... but let me guess... worth it?

You mean the pill isn't designed to abort? If it is, then there is zero difference.
Click to expand...
Plan-B is not designed to cause an abortion. Plan-B prevents the release of an egg, therefore no conception occurs.

Plan-B does not interfere with a fertilized egg implanting, so if a zygote is formed the pregnancy will proceed as normal even if Plan-B is used (which occurs @10% of the time).

I agree with lowering the age, and I agree with making Plan-B available without a prescription, but it should remain behind a locked case. It is not the 15 y/o customer I'm worried about, it's the shoplifters.
 
Last edited:
I'm very concerned about the potential long-term effects on young bodies of this pill and also about the easy-to-imagine abuse of it by kids.
 
Dragonfly said:
So what's your solution to combating teenage pregnancy? Gonna stick to that whole "abstinence" thing that seems to work so well?
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Oh man, when I was young the abstinence girls were awesome. They would do ANYTHING... except that one thing.
 
nota bene said:
I'm very concerned about the potential long-term effects on young bodies of this pill and also about the easy-to-imagine abuse of it by kids.
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Be more worried about American's diet rich in sugar and salt.
 
Jerry said:
Be more worried about American's diet rich in sugar and salt.
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That's a problem that can be addressed right now. We don't know what the long-term effects will be on young female bodies (and yes, I'm aware that the Europeans have reported no problems).

What's really cool is that you can worry about cardiovascular disease caused by a poor diet and be concerned about long-term effects of drugs all at the same time.
 
CanadaJohn said:
This is hardly surprising when you realize that the Obama administration, within the past 6 months, hired a former lobbiest for the manufacturer of the Plan B drug as the lead attorney for the Department of Health and Human Services. This lobbiest also happened to be a Deputy Commissioner with the FDA during the Clinton administration.

Why bother with lobbying when you can get right in the hen house and be part of the decision making process.
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Wonderful that you dug beneath the surface, sad that you found only what you wanted and not the truth.

The FDA ruled that the drug could only be sold to people 17 and older with proof of age. A suit was filed in federal court that basically argued that since the drug was found to be safe for any age, that this was a capricious rule. The out ruled for the plaintive and required the drug to be sold without ANY age restriction. The FDA is STILL in violation if this ruling, but are willing to push the issue by making the rule 15 years old WITH proof of age.

The FDA is being conservative here, but nice try.
 
CanadaJohn said:
Actually, the OP talks about the FDA basically accepting the court ruling without challenging it. Who do you think advised the Secretary of HHS on the matter?
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Who do you represented the FDA, defending the rule?

Beyond that, the FDA is STILL refusing to accept the ruling and is pressing the issue by having an age restriction (with ID required) at all.
 
Jerry said:
While I agree with making Plan-B available, it's a drug which does need to be supervised. It's a powerful medication and as others have noting will be the target of shoplifters.
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I think you are confusing Plan b with RU486.

The manufacturer is placing antitheft devices in each box.
 
Quik said:
And now I am curious to see someone make the argument that 15 year old's are mature enough to consent to having an abortion but not mature enough to consent to having sex.
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Neither are being discussed here and a 15 year is not old enough to consent to either.

Are you confusing Plan B with an abortion inducement drug?

It's not, it is a contraceptive, it has no effect on a fertilized egg.
 
CaptinSarcastic said:
Neither are being discussed here and a 15 year is not old enough to consent to either.

Are you confusing Plan B with an abortion inducement drug?

It's not, it is a contraceptive, it has no effect on a fertilized egg.
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So 15 year olds are old enough to consent to sex?
 
Jerry said:
Plan-B is not designed to cause an abortion. Plan-B prevents the release of an egg, therefore no conception occurs.

Plan-B does not interfere with a fertilized egg implanting, so if a zygote is formed the pregnancy will proceed as normal even if Plan-B is used (which occurs @10% of the time).

I agree with lowering the age, and I agree with making Plan-B available without a prescription, but it should remain behind a locked case. It is not the 15 y/o customer I'm worried about, it's the shoplifters.
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Good to see you come around.

I don't disagree with it being behind the retail counter with cigs and porn, other age restricted products. It does have an antitheft device in the box, but they just let you know when someone is stealing, they don't run out the door and catch 'me for you.
 
CaptinSarcastic said:
The manufacturer is placing antitheft devices in each box.
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Oh, well it's ok then, because nobody has ever been able to steal something with an anti-theft device, ever. :roll:
 
I have zero problems with this based on these conditions

its just as safe as other drugs for the age group and no parental consent that are currently out there.

if those conditions are met why would there be a reason to care :shrug:
 
Arbo said:
Oh, well it's ok then, because nobody has ever been able to steal something with an anti-theft device, ever. :roll:
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I think putting it behind the retail counter with other age restricted products as Jerry suggested is warranted.
 
AGENT J said:
I have zero problems with this based on these conditions

its just as safe as other drugs for the age group and no parental consent that are currently out there.

if those conditions are met why would there be a reason to care :shrug:
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then i will ask a simple question, when did the executive branch of government FDA get authority to tell citizens, that 15 yr old girl will be given access to drugs over the objections of parents, i see not authority in the constitution.
 
CaptinSarcastic said:
Which part of "Neither is being discussed here and a 15 is not old enough to consent to either" was unclear?
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Very well. I believe 15 year olds are old enough to consent to both taking contraceptives and having sex. I believe the two are related, and I would be curios to see somebody argue how a 15 year old is old enough to consent to one but not the other.
 
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