FDA Delays Morning-After Pill Decision

Probably will be delayed until after the election--Dictynna

By LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical Writer 36 minutes ago

The government on Friday put off its long-awaited final decision on whether to sell emergency contraception without a prescription, saying the pill was safe to sell over-the-counter to adults but grappling with how to keep it out of the hands of young teenagers.

The Food and Drug Administration postponed for 60 days a final decision on how to allow nonprescription sales of the morning-after pill called Plan B just to women 17 or older.

"Enforceability is the key question," said FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford.

The drug's maker, Barr Pharmaceuticals, criticized the decision, questioning how the agency could acknowledge that scientific evidence supported nonprescription sales and yet not allow those sales to begin.

"It's like being in purgatory," said Barr chief executive Bruce Downey.

The morning-after pill is a high dose of regular birth control that, taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, can lower the risk of pregnancy by up to 89 percent.