After a lengthy wait, the FDA and Barr Pharmaceuticals have come up with an agreement that clears the way for the over-the-counter sale of the contraceptive Plan B. Under the agreement, Barr will sell Plan B OTC to women over the age of 18 while women under that age will be required to have a prescription. The agency has been sitting on this decision for more than two years, leading several U.S. senators to vow to indefinitely hold up Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach's appointment to head the FDA until the impasse over Plan B was resolved. Conservative groups had fiercely opposed any agreement to allow Plan B to go OTC, calling it an abortion drug. Abortion rights groups, meanwhile, say Plan B would actually reduce the number of abortions in the U.S. The agreement marks a significant turning point for the FDA. With a plan now for Plan B, the FDA is likely to get Dr. von Eschenbach's appointment completed and the FDA can move on to other business.
- read the article on Plan B from The New York Times