Ruling Makes Morning-After Pill Available to Dormont, Brookline Teens

The Food and Drug Administration approved a plan to market Plan B One-Step for use without a prescription by women 15 years of age and older this week.

The product will be available in retail outlets with an onsite pharmacy in the family planning or female health aisles. The product will be available for sale during the retailer’s normal operating hours whether the pharmacy is open or not.

The emergency contraceptive will be packaged with a product code prompting a cashier to request and verify the customer’s age. A customer who cannot provide age verification will not be able to purchase the product. In addition, the drug's maker Teva has arranged to have a security tag placed on all product cartons to prevent theft.

Plan B One-Step is an emergency contraceptive intended to reduce the possibility of pregnancy within three days following unprotected sexual intercourse. 

Plan B One-Step will not stop a pregnancy when a woman is already pregnant, and there is no medical evidence that the product will harm a developing fetus.

However, the FDA's decision is causing some controversy. Some people are against women taking the drug at all. Others think there should be no age limit.

We asked you what you thought about the ruling on the Dormont-Brookline Patch Facebook page and this is what you said:

"Poor decision to allow it to be readily available OTC to anyone under the age of 18," wrote Katie Goulait.

"What's the alternative? Young, irresponsible teen parents? I would be okay with this being available for my daughter, if she finds herself in such a position," wrote Matthew Esch.

"How will they determine someone is 15? 15 year olds rarely have ID. I am fine with all type of birth control being available to women of childbearing years but they need to know how it actually works and the risks involved," wrote True Blue.

"I think it's an amazing decision!" wrote Kristy Elborne.

"Absurd," wrote Gerald John Pfeifer.

"I whole-heartedly agree with this decision," wrote Megan Cunningham.

"I wish teen pregnancy shows were not on TV. 16 is bad enough, but 15 to parent?" wrote Mary Helen Hutchins.

"Why are there so many teenage pregnancies these days? It's sad that the taboo has been lifted," wrote Janis Price Hanson.

"Government should stay OUT of our personal lives," wrote Sally Ann Colussy.

As you can see, there is a wide range of opinions on the morning-after pill. What do you think about the FDA's decision? Tell us in the comments below.

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