Whether or not you feel that Plan B (aka -- "The Morning After Pill") should be available OTC to adolescents, the bigger issue (MUCH bigger) is the dangerous precedent of politicizing the FDA process.
The morning after Secretary Sebelius' unprecedented overruling of the FDA's decision one thing is clear -- the door is now wide open to anyone who has a beef over any decision rendered by Peggy & Co.
The line forms to the left.
When asked directly if the White House had weighed in on this matter, the HHS press office refused to comment. In other words, yes. Can you imagine the hue and cry if this had taken place during the previous administration?
Having served as Associate Commissioner at the FDA during the first round of Plan B hysteria, I can personally attest to the heat and scrutiny it generated. And appropriately so. The significant difference is that debate was internal to the agency. There were differences of opinion -- but the decisions (whether you agree with them or not) were FDA decisions.
Leaving aside the peculiar politics of reproductive health, this action by the Secrerary must be reversed. Left standing it will severely undermine the authority of the FDA and embolden those who think that political arm twisting should be used to influence agency decisions.
Katy -- bar that door!
The morning after Secretary Sebelius' unprecedented overruling of the FDA's decision one thing is clear -- the door is now wide open to anyone who has a beef over any decision rendered by Peggy & Co.
The line forms to the left.
When asked directly if the White House had weighed in on this matter, the HHS press office refused to comment. In other words, yes. Can you imagine the hue and cry if this had taken place during the previous administration?
Having served as Associate Commissioner at the FDA during the first round of Plan B hysteria, I can personally attest to the heat and scrutiny it generated. And appropriately so. The significant difference is that debate was internal to the agency. There were differences of opinion -- but the decisions (whether you agree with them or not) were FDA decisions.
Leaving aside the peculiar politics of reproductive health, this action by the Secrerary must be reversed. Left standing it will severely undermine the authority of the FDA and embolden those who think that political arm twisting should be used to influence agency decisions.
Katy -- bar that door!