Dem senators question call on morning-after pill

[xchrom]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CONGRESS_MORNING_AFTER_PILL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-12-13-12-32-11

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Leading Democratic senators are demanding that the Obama administration explain its decision to continue restricting access to Plan B, the morning-after birth control pill, for those under 17.

Washington state Sen. Patty Murray and 13 colleagues wrote Tuesday to Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius seeking the "specific rationale and the scientific data" behind the controversial move.

Sebelius overruled the FDA's decision to approve the emergency contraceptive for sale over-the-counter to women of any age.

Plan B will remain available without a prescription only to women 17 and older who can prove their age. The FDA would have allowed it on drug store shelves, next to the condoms.

[uppityperson]

1. Good. thank you Patty Murray. Reced

[xchrom]

3. ...

[saras]

7. +1000 Thank You Patty!

[Enrique]

2. he already explained it

as the president explained it, he has two daughters and he doesn't want the Plan B pill on the shelves next to the bubble-gum and the batteries, so the decision is just "common sense".

Yes, it's a terrible explanation but he did explain it.

[uppityperson]

4. It is not on the shelf but behind the counter. Again, OTC means no prescription needed, NOT

that it's on the shelf next to bubblegum and batteries.

OTC is the acronym for "Over the Counter" which means no prescription needed. It does NOT mean "on the shelf next to batteries". Like sudafed, it needs to be passed Over the Counter by someone in the pharmacy. It doesn't need to be signed for like sudafed, which is limited due to its use making meth, but DOES need to be given by someone behind the counter.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. Which illustrates that he has pandering down. Parenting...not so much.

If he can't explain the difference between batteries, bubble-gum, and birth control to his daughters.

[kenny blankenship]

6. If he actually said that then he was misrepresenting the situation wildly and deliberately

[saras]

8. Someone needs to just ask him...

So, Mr. President, if you, yourself, fucked your daughters, and one got pregnant, how are they expected to get access to the medicine?

[uppityperson]

9. Is that really necessary? Seriously.

To answer that, they'd get an Rx, or a friend to buy it for them. But really, IS that necessary? Not a good argument and just crass.

[justiceischeap]

10. It may not be necessary but it's honest.

If you were raped by a father, uncle, brother and didn't want anyone to know and got pregnant... how does a girl in that situation get help?

[uppityperson]

11. EC does nothing after you are pg, it prevents pregnancy.Same way a girl raped by a neighbor does.

First of all, Plan B, EC, does NOT stop a pregnancy, does NOT give you an abortion. It stops you from GETTING pregnant.

Secondly, in the same way a girl who had unprotected sex with boyfriend does. There is not a incest or rape exclusion to the need for an Rx.

I think needing an Rx is wrong, very wrong.

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. Why don't you send that question in a letter to the White House and see what kind of response

you get?