Women might before long be able to...

Women might before long be able to get the morning-after pill without a doctor's prescription -- a hotly debated plan that be seened to be stuck in bureaucratic limbo until Monday.

After month of silence forward the matter, the U.S. sustenance and Drug Administration told Barr Pharmaceuticals that it wanted to fit within seven days to talk about for what cause to allow women 18 and older to walk into pharmacies and bribe the emergency contraceptive Plan B over- the-counter. Minors would still ne a prescription, despite independent advisers to the FDA in 2003 overwhelmingly endorsing over-the-counter sales for all ages.

SHOULD BE 'LISTENING TO WOMEN'

The FDA's apparent willingness to widen access to the medication was met Monday with equal parts praise and skepticism by dint of contraceptive advocates. They questioned the timing of the announcement, which came as President Bush's pick to lead the FDA, Dr Andrew von Eschenbach, was headed into Senate confirmation hearings. a certain quantity of senators have vowed to brace his nomination until the FDA makes a decision in succession the morning-after pill once and for all.

"We've been waiting for a final ruling from the FDA for 550 days," said Steve Trombley president of Planned Parenthood/Chicago Area. "In the meantime, that's 225 million unintended pregnancies and 12 million abortions that could have been obstructed It's time for the FDA to start listening to women and families and stop listening to a small assemblage of extremists who would outlaw sex if they could"

When taken within 72 hours of unprotect sex Plan B can cut short the risk of pregnancy by way of up to 89 percent.

The two-pill series, which contains a high dose of the main ingredient in regular birth bridle pills, prevents ovulation or fertilization of an ovum It doesn't work if a woman is already pregnant.

make anxiouss ABOUT WIDER ACCESS

Philip Karst of the Illinois Catholic Health Association said the body of christians is opposed in general to the morning-after pill, prescription or not. if it be not that making it available over-the- calculator means "more people would have access to the put drugs into and we'd be concerned about that."

adverse partys worry the move could increase promiscuity and jeopardize a woman's health.

"You might have an 18-year-old girl who decides that rather than practice safe sex and plan responsibly, 'I no longer have to worry about it. I can just go on to the pharmacy,' " said state Rep Ron Stephens (R-Troy) a Downstate pharmacist for 31 years.

Stephens, who is morally oppos to the morning-after pill and refuses to fill like prescriptions, said selling Plan B over-the- calculator compromises patient safety by "taking the doctor and the pharmacist abroad of the equation."

The FDA has asked Barr to update its application to limit nonprescription sales to women 18 and older not 16 as the drugmaker had wanted. Barr has to exorcism out how the age restriction would be enforced.

The agency also wants different packaging for the nonprescription and prescription versions of the pill, one as well as the other of which would be sold from behind the pharmacy contrary

lrackl@suntimes.com

THE HURDLE

Barr Pharmaceuticals can acquire another chance at approval for its

morning-after pill if the company:

Restricts sales of the medication to women 18 and older not 16 as it had sought

Packages the nonprescription and prescription versions of the pill differently, notwithstanding that both would be kept behind the pharmacy calculator

Provides details onward how the age restriction would be enforced and forward its plan to restrict sales to certain pharmacies.

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