The Food and Drug Administration has approved an application by Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. (BRL) to make Plan B, commonly refered to as the 'morning-after pill,' available to women 18 and older without a prescription. Women will be required to show proof of age.
The WashingtonPost.com reports that many social conservatives in and out of Congress have battled to keep the drug from becoming available without a prescription. Some say that could encourage promiscuity, and others say use of the pill causes a very early abortion. Their position had for almost three years trumped an overwhelming medical and scientific consensus that the drug could be safely dispensed by a pharmacist without a prescription.
The approval came a year after former FDA commissioner Lester M. Crawford created a firestorm by ruling that the agency did not have the authority to approve a drug for over-the-counter use for women while requiring prescriptions for girls. But in recent weeks, President Bush and acting FDA Commissioner Andrew C. von Eschenbach signaled that they were willing to back off from that position and allow the drug to be available, as Barr -- and many women's health advocates -- have long advocated.
Know More about FDA approved drugs at ThePharmVoice.com.
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