NARAL PRO-CHOICE COLORADO DENOUCES FDA’S DELAY OF EC DECISION
For Immediate Release
Friday, August 26, 2005 Contact: Meg Froelich, Interim Executive Director
NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado
Office: 303.394.1973, ext. 12
NARAL PRO-CHOICE COLORADO DENOUCES FDA’S DELAY OF EC DECISION Bush Administration Puts Politics Ahead of Health Care; Approval Would Cut Abortion Rates (DENVER) – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) bowed to political pressure today by the Bush Administration and delayed promised action on Barr Laboratories’ application to allow emergency contraception (Plan B®) to be sold over-the-counter to women 17 years and older. (Younger women would still have to obtain a prescription for Plan B®.) The FDA confirmed in its statement that “the available scientific data are sufficient to support the safe use of Plan B as an over the counter product” for women who are 17 years of age or older. “We are profoundly disappointed with this pathetic non-decision,” said Meg Froelich, interim executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado. “Over-the-counter access to emergency contraception could dramatically lower the number of unintended pregnancies and abortions in this country and Colorado. It would be particularly beneficial for victims of sexual assault.” “With today’s decision, the Bush Administration has again put politics ahead of the health and safety of women. By delaying action on the application, the FDA continues to deny women access to a critical health care service,” said Jeff McDowell, chairman of the NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado board of directors. Plan B® is a type of emergency contraceptive that has been proven to be up to 95 percent effective at preventing pregnancy when taken within 24 hours of unprotected intercourse. EC prevents pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation. It is estimated that EC has the potential to prevent more than half of the 3 million unintended pregnancies that occur in the United States each year. In response, NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado has pledged to intensify its education and awareness campaign about emergency contraception (EC) and continue to distribute their bilingual publications, Emergency Contraception: The Resource Guide for Colorado and Emergency Contraception: The Pharmacy Referral Guide for Colorado,which collectively describe what emergency contraception is, when to use it, and where it is available in Colorado. NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado (NPCC) is the political action arm of the pro-choice movement in Colorado. NPCC has over 30,000 supporters statewide and works to develop and sustain a constituency that uses the political process to guarantee every woman the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive health choices, including preventing unintended pregnancies, bearing healthy children and choosing legal abortion. ###
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