March 23, 2009

Washington, D.C. – Today US District Judge Edward R. Korman ordered the FDA to make the morning after pill available to 17-year-old minor girls without a physician’s visit or prescription and without parental consent. Judge Korman also asked the FDA to consider making the drug available to girls and women regardless of age.

Chris Gacek, Family Research Council’s Senior Fellow for Regulatory Affairs, released the following statement:

“This ruling jeopardizes girls’ health and the ability of parents to care for their daughters’ physical and emotional well-being. Judge Korman has accepted lock, stock, and barrel all of the claims of a political ideology promoting sexual license for teens.

“Now some minor girls will be able to obtain this drug without any guidance from a doctor or and without any parental supervision. We lack scientific studies on the long-term effects of Plan B with respect to high dosage and repeated use in both women and adolescents. Also, research from Scotland in the 1990s indicated that the increased use of the morning-after-pill did not decrease abortion rates.

“There is a real danger that Plan B may be given to women, especially sexually abused women and minors, under coercion or without their consent. Interaction with medical professionals is a major screening and defense mechanism for victims of sexual abuse. The availability of Plan B over-the-counter also bypasses the routine medical care of sexually active girls and women, which is important to allow screening for other health conditions, including sexually transmitted diseases.”