US to allow morning-after pill for girls of any age

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration said Monday it would comply with a judge’s order to allow women and girls of any age to purchase emergency contraception, ending its efforts to restrict the drug’s availability.

The reversal on the politically sensitive issue means that anyone, including young girls, will soon be able to purchase the popular Plan B One-Step morning-after pill over the counter, without a prescription.

President Barack Obama’s administration had fought against US District Court Judge Edward Korman’s order to make the drug more widely available after a more than decade-long court fight, warning of health and social dangers.

In a letter to US District Judge Edward Korman, US attorneys said the Food and Drug Administration was dropping its appeal.

“To comply with the order, FDA has asked the manufacturer of Plan B One-Step (PBOS) to submit a supplemental application seeking approval of the one-pill product to be made available OTC without any such restrictions,” the agency said in a statement.

“Once FDA receives that supplemental application, the FDA intends to approve it promptly.”

Levonorgestrel-based emergency contraception contains the same active ingredients as birth control pills but at higher doses, and may prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours after unprotected intercourse.