Spring Break
Plan B doesn't solve problem
Emily Toohill
Issue date: 9/7/05 Section: Opinion
With so many people dependent on quick fixes for acid reflux disease, obesity, depression, social anxiety disorder and a number of other illnesses, pharmaceutical companies thrive from marketing loads of pills at high prices.
People who desire to live without them and realize that there are better ways to treat their health problems frequently scrutinize the pills, the prices and the manufacturers. However, when it comes to oral contraceptives, these people tend to switch sides.
According to the Aug. 29 "USA Today," the Food and Drug Administration has delayed its decision as to whether or not the Plan B contraceptive or "morning-after pill" should be sold over the counter. This is not the first time Barr Pharmaceuticals, the pill's manufacturer, has tried to get FDA approval to sell the drug.
FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford and Drug Evaluation and Research Director Steven Galson said the delay was due to lack of research on how the pill affects girls under age 16. Senator Edward Kennedy, (D-Mass.), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other organizations that endorse marketing Plan B without a prescription claim that the FDA's delay is due to political influences and that the drug is perfectly safe.
So why the big deal over a pill?
No other oral contraceptive is available over the counter. Plan B contains the same hormones found in other birth control pills, but in higher doses. The pill prevents two things: ovulation and fertilization.
Most women cope with ovulation and accept it as part of life. Ovulation is not an abnormality to be feared; it is a natural cycle that ensures a woman's body is healthy and functioning properly. Women would be better off if their cycles were not interrupted and their bodies were allowed to do their thing.
Women who use birth control primarily do so to prevent fertilization. Rather than using the free and completely effective method of refraining from sexual intercourse, it seems that an increasing number of Americans would rather rely on pills or other contraceptive devices to keep sperm away from eggs.
People who desire to live without them and realize that there are better ways to treat their health problems frequently scrutinize the pills, the prices and the manufacturers. However, when it comes to oral contraceptives, these people tend to switch sides.
According to the Aug. 29 "USA Today," the Food and Drug Administration has delayed its decision as to whether or not the Plan B contraceptive or "morning-after pill" should be sold over the counter. This is not the first time Barr Pharmaceuticals, the pill's manufacturer, has tried to get FDA approval to sell the drug.
FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford and Drug Evaluation and Research Director Steven Galson said the delay was due to lack of research on how the pill affects girls under age 16. Senator Edward Kennedy, (D-Mass.), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other organizations that endorse marketing Plan B without a prescription claim that the FDA's delay is due to political influences and that the drug is perfectly safe.
So why the big deal over a pill?
No other oral contraceptive is available over the counter. Plan B contains the same hormones found in other birth control pills, but in higher doses. The pill prevents two things: ovulation and fertilization.
Most women cope with ovulation and accept it as part of life. Ovulation is not an abnormality to be feared; it is a natural cycle that ensures a woman's body is healthy and functioning properly. Women would be better off if their cycles were not interrupted and their bodies were allowed to do their thing.
Women who use birth control primarily do so to prevent fertilization. Rather than using the free and completely effective method of refraining from sexual intercourse, it seems that an increasing number of Americans would rather rely on pills or other contraceptive devices to keep sperm away from eggs.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Kelsey
posted 2/05/09 @ 10:58 AM CST
This is probably the worst article I've read about Plan-b.
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