The nominee to become the next Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner indicated at a confirmation hearing yesterday that the FDA will approve over-the-counter status for emergency contraception (EC). "The science part is generally done," said Lester M. Crawford, who is currently serving as acting commission of the FDA, according to the Washington Post. "We're just now down to what the label will look [like]. This is going to be a very unusual sort of approval."
The new medication, called "Plan B" is advertised as a contraceptive method (meaning that it prevents conception). Is this all it does? The active ingredient in Plan B is also one of the drugs used in Norplant and the Mirena IUD. It "prevents or delays ovulation (egg release). It changes the environment so that sperm cannot fertilize the egg, rearranges the chemical balance seen in pregnancy, and prevents implantation of the fertilized egg."
Wait a second. Prevents implantation of the fertilized egg? If all else fails, and the condom breaks, ovulation occurs, the sperm make it to the egg and fertilize it (i.e., conception occurs), this hormone will prevent the fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus. (Madre notes: This is also how all versions of "The Pill" work.)
But Plan B says, "No, Plan B is not an abortifacient. It is an emergency contraceptive and should not be confused with RU486 or any other abortifacient. Plan B is not effective if a woman is pregnant."
They can say it is not "abortifacient" because pregnancy has not yet occurred according to medical definitions. That only happens when the fertilized egg implants in the uterus. Since this drug prevents implantation from happening, it is not technically ending a pregnancy and therefore is not causing an abortion.
Unless you believe that life begins at conception.
Then there's the whole issue of this medication being offered over-the-counter. Girls over 16 will be able to buy Plan B at the corner drugstore as easily as they do Tylenol.