Now we can all become whoring sea donkeys!

Actually, I'm really happy about this. This will fix more sleepless nights than any prescription sleeping aid. The science was there. It's about time.

Women have pushed the FDA to the point where they have put Plan B behind the counter. While this is a partial victory for women, and shows the power women have, we still must push for full over the counter access for women of all ages now.

I don't agree with the age restriction. Most teens can get birth control without parental consent, so why shouldn't plan B be included in that? However, teens are very resourceful. Girls who need Plan B will get it the same way they get cigarettes, alcohol, and other age-restricted items. Their friends will buy it for them. Or they'll buy it online.

I'm happy to see this news, but also wonder how long it will be until we read stories about the various drugstores that refuse to carry Plan B on their counter. If it's non-prescription, can a store be required to carry it? I suspect the fight is not over yet.

Would the underage folk kindly form two lines outside the pharmacy so that I might more quickly locate the ones needing someone to buy their Plan B from the ones "needing" someone to buy their alcohol or cigarettes? Because, honestly, the under 18 rules will be every bit as effective.

Women have pushed the FDA to the point where they have put Plan B behind the counter. While this is a partial victory for women, and shows the power women have, we still must push for full over-the counter access for women of all ages now.

If it's available without a prescription, you can buy it online. I think pharmacies would be keep behind the counter or in a locked case anyway, to prevent theft. Pharmacies in my area lock up condoms, razor blades, hair dryers, infant formula, diabetic test strips, and mouthwash (which is very popular with homeless alcoholics) for the same reason.

This may be me showing my ignorance of the exact mechanics of Plan B, but could the 18 year age restriction be a safety consideration? Could a young(er) woman cause damage to herself with this if not taken properly?

What if a man wants to buy it? Say for a girlfriend/wife/niece/daughter?

Does he have to be 18?

could the 18 year age restriction be a safety consideration? Could a young(er) woman cause damage to herself with this if not taken properly?

The short response is that the FDA's staff scientists didn't think so, but were overruled by higher-ups including Dr. Steven Galson -- who, in acknowledging the controversy, has said adolescents would require "special analyses, sometimes special data." The White House spokesperson on Air Force one today fell in line with that "special" idea, saying Bush "appreciates that the FDA did an exhaustive review, that they recognized the critical distinction between minors and adults and the risks a drug like this could pose."

That "risks a drug like this could pose" line is basically a sop thrown to the people who've argued that the availability of this drug would lead to rampant promiscuity; it doesn't seem to have any particular health risk involved except, supposedly, indirectly as a result of the predicted behaviors.

To which I would ask: when has the period of evaluation passed after which we can assess this thinly veiled assault on all non-procreative sex for what it is? When can we gather data, decide that the availability of the pills actually hasn't caused the predicted rash of reckless behavior, and be done with the argument? Or does "the world is going to heck in a handbasket!" count as adequate corroborating evidence?

Even though I am wondering now how many pharmacists will still refuse to hand it over on the basis of "moral grounds." Honestly, if a pharmacist refused to dispense my birth control to me... I am not sure what I would do.

As for women under 18 being unable to take Plan B... what a bunch of nonsense! The NPR report on this spoke of possible difficulties in understanding how to take it. It's really not complicated. It's two pills taken twelve hours apart... that is IT. I would say most 12 year olds are capable of counting 12 hours.

Anyways, it is still a step. A step uphill, maybe, but a step in the right direction.

They would have preferred parental consent along with the prescription requirement for adolescent use of Plan B, but apparently settled for a compromise.