Morning After Pill?

Why the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Should Not Approve the Over-the Counter Distribution of Morning After Pills
Dangers of MAP -- The dangers of MAP were ignored at the December 2003 FDA advisory committee meeting on OTC/MAP. Risks include: ectopic pregnancy; long-term use; pregnancy-related risks; risks of misuse and overdose; increased rates of STD/HIV infection; increased rates of induced abortion; increased rates of sexual violence, and risks associated with interactions with other drugs. Post-marketing surveillance of OTC/MAP will not mitigate these risks.

False and Provocative Advertising -- Claims of widespread demand for OTC/MAP appear to have emerged almost overnight. For many years, however, global social marketing campaigns have been quietly laying this foundation. Ad campaigns include strategies to obfuscate its abortion-inducing nature, and make inroads into public school populations.

Advertising themes, supported by both USAID and a host of international and domestic abortion groups, have ranged from promoting promiscuity to selling MAP as a solution to rape.

MAP and the International Controversy -- In 1995, Dr. Sharon Camp, founder of FDA OTC/MAP applicant Women's Capital Corporation, convened global regional groups for MAP social marketing campaigns, pursuant to a consensus statement ratified by international abortion groups at a special conference in 1995 at Bellagio, Italy. The next year, an International Consortium at which USAID participated succeeded in securing the manufacture of MAP for social marketing worldwide. USAID-funded groups have promoted MAP, to girls as young as 10 years old, in nations where it is illegal to do so.

So what do you think? Should the MAP be over the counter?

I don't think this should be over-the-counter. The pill should be over-the-counter, but not this.

This should be used in cases that it is needed, not due to a reaction to a possibility that may or may not even be there. I think it stand too much at being abused if sold over the counter.

The plan to have it OTC was to speed up the process rather than having to make a doctor's appointment (which takes forever thses days), by which time it's too late to take it.
This is semi-appeasment for noisy anti-abortionists.

I agree that there are risks, but I'm stumped as to how it causes sexual violence and HIV infection.

edit - Now I understand. Some folks really are in the dark.

I don't think it should be OTC, for many of the reasons you cited. I've heard the suggestion that women should ask for a prescription BEFORE they need it, so they have it just in case. That sounds like a good idea to me.

the morning after pill is not really an abortion pill its more like a pill to stop you from being pregnant and it is also quite useful for teengers who are pregnant, so i think that they dont have to counter it...