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Advocates believes that all women of reproductive age should have access to emergency contraception, also known as the morning after pill of Plan B©. In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) placed an 18 and up age restriction on over-the-counter emergency contraception, despite the advice of it’s Medical Advisory Council that EC was safe for all women of reproductive age. Young women under the age of 18 must still obtain a prescription from their doctor. Pregnancy and childbirth can lead to serious health issues for young woman. Making access to emergency birth control pills easier can help America’s young women to prevent unintended pregnancies and abortions. Update: On March 23, 2009, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York ruled that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must extend over-the-counter access to Plan B to 17 year olds by the end of April 2009 and must reconsider making it available without a prescription for those younger.
Sign a petition to remove the FDA's age restriction on over-the-counter access to EC. More information about emergency contraception. Access to Birth Control Act (ABC) The Access to Birth Control Act (ABC Act) will guarantee a women's right to purchase birth control, including over-the-counter emergency contraception. The ABC Act would make it illegal for a pharmacy to refuse to fill birth control prescriptions and require pharmacies to help, not hinder a woman's ability to access contraception. The bills are sponsored by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY).
Emergency Contraception Education Act The Emergency Contraception Education Act would provide $10 million to implement important public education initiatives that educate women and health care providers about the benefits and uses of emergency contraception (EC). Public awareness campaigns targeting women and health care providers will help remove many of the barriers to EC and will help to increase access to this important means of pregnancy prevention. The bills are sponsored by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Louise Slaughter (D-NY).
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