So....close....and, yet.....so.....ridiculous....
The Plan B Emergency Contraception pill was approved today by the FDA after years (YEARS) of stalling, even beyond the usual eons-long foot-dragging on hot political issues. It wasn't just foot dragging, it was big, red elephant dragging.For those unsure, the Plan B pill is not the "abortion pill" (RU-486). The Plan B pill is emergency contraception - taken after unprotected sex, it can only prevent a (potential) pregnancy that hasn't yet happened. If the woman is already pregnant, the Plan B pill has no effect. It cannot terminate a pregnancy. It's just a safe, back-up birth control pill.
And even though birth control pills are legal and Plan B is now available over-the-counter (non-prescription), women still have to go up to their "moral", "wise" and "responsible" pharmacist to ask for this pill. And under current policies of many pharmacies, it is up to his own discretion (and I do mean "his") whether he feels comfortable giving you the pill.
Why for this pill? Because the Plan B pill is still not available to women under 18. Yeah, because teen pregnancy isn't a problem in this country. Oh, and, btw, the argument that allowing teens access to the pill (and condoms and safer sex information and...) is going to encourage them to have sex, is bullshit. They are having sex anyway. You can't cut all the programs that help prevent teen pregnancy and then not give them access to the "morning after" pill (Plan B) and THEN also cut funding to all the services that help teen mothers after they have these kids. Someone explain to me what sense that makes.
And now it's time for another episode of
Heavy-Handed Sock Puppet Theatre
Gov't: Don't have sex.
Girl: Why not?
Gov't: Because nice young ladies don't do that.
Girl: What are you talking about?
Gov't: If you have sex, that means you have no morals. Slut!
Girl: But, my boyfriend and I love each other! We're already having sex.
Gov't: Well, don't use condoms - those give you diseases. You'll die from using them. (Ah, yes, the "wisdom" passed out in gov't funded "sex ed" classes in many schools... Really.)
Girl: Okay, but we just had sex.
Gov't: Well, good luck with that. Hope you're not pregnant.
Girl: But what about the morning after pill?
Gov't: You can't have it. You'll have sex.
Girl: But I already have!
Gov't: No, if I give it to you, you'll have sex.
Girl: You aren't listening to me!
Gov't: Oh, you're welcome. I'm glad I could explain it to you.
And thus concludes this episode of Heavy-Handed Sock Pupput Theatre. Join us next time when Gov't explains "compassionate conservatism" to a group of teen moms.
They can either say "no preventative help" or "no help after", but they can't say both.
(link to Planned Parenthood article)
posted by Halley @ 11:02 AM
1 Comments:
I'll agree with you in theory about the social implications for withholding the pill for someone under 18. BUT, since the morning after pill is simply a massive hormone dose, someone who's not done with puberty (say, a 17 year old girl) might have her blood chemistry really f-ed for a while. If there's a medical reason for withholding the pill, that's one thing... recall that not all over-the-counter stuff is safe for everyone- even aspirin can kill some folks. Nonetheless, if there's a risk that taking the pill too early could damage one's plumbing, I could see where the liability issues would dictate how the pharmacist hands 'em out.
Anyhow, short version- if there's a legitimate medical reason to regulate distribution, fine... social ones, well, folks'll come around.
Post a Comment
<< Home