The Food and Drug Administration on May 1 approved Plan B One-step, commonly known as the “morning after pill,” to move from behind pharmacy counters onto shelves, making it possible for girls as young as 15 to obtain the pill without a prescription. The progestin-only emergency contraceptive has been the topic of a fierce controversy among anti-abortion and abortion rights advocates for some time.
Until now, the pill was only available over the counter to girls aged 17 and older. In addition to changing the age limit, the ruling also tends to the concern some women have about pharmacies being closed when they need to purchase a Plan B One-Step pill. The move to over-the-counter allows women to find and purchase it from store shelves.
According to a the FDA, “Plan B One-Step will be packaged with a product code prompting a cashier to request and verify the customer’s age.” This means any girl 15 and older who wants to purchase a morning after pill must have proof of age and an identification card to purchase the product.
Claire Aubin, a representative of the ASUO Women’s Center, approves of the ruling but fears many girls won’t be able to purchase the pill because they will lack the identification needed.
“I think it’s wonderful that they have lowered the age restriction, but it’s still not enough,” she said. “It’s very hard to attain proof of ID when you’re 15, unless you can get a passport which costs hundreds of dollars or a state-issued ID, which you still need parental permission for.”
Though she is concerned that some younger girls will still be unable to purchase the pill, she is hopeful that this new ruling will spark even more dialogue about sexual health in general.
“Sexual health and bodily autonomy doesn’t start when you’re 15; it exists your entire life,” she said. “Hopefully it leads to a larger conversation of what sexual health means and how important it is to our society, as well as how important it is for people to make decisions for themselves.”
In early April, Edward R. Korman, a federal judge, ordered Plan B One-Step be made available for all ages over-the-counter and gave the FDA 30 days to remove the age restrictions. The FDA appealed the judge’s ruling by lowering the age limit rather than removing it. According to a New York Times article, Korman said, “the agency’s move to restrict distribution to those 15 and older was not realistic.”
The controversy surrounding the topic of emergency contraceptives is certain to continue as new information arises as to whether Korman’s ruling will be upheld. As for now, girls ages 15 and older can purchase the morning after pill. Only time will tell if the pill will be made available to every female who needs it.