The important news of the day?

[kyburg]

Ain't Pluto. Y'all are missing it.

The "morning-after" contraceptive pill can be sold to those 18 and older in the United States without a prescription, the Food and Drug Administration ruled on Thursday, ending a three-year battle over the morality of wider access and use by teenagers.

The FDA ordered Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s Plan B pills must stay behind pharmacy counters to prevent those under 18 from receiving the drug without a prescription.

So.

I don't need a prescription. I don't even have to give a reason. Hmmm.

I'm tempted to go see how many of these things I can go pick up just for the ugly fun of it. Maybe even get a t-shirt made that says "Will Buy Plan B For You." Of course, I'd have to put something snarky on the back like "Complete with Clue By Four," but I'd do it.

These things ought to come with the rape kits for emergency rooms. Honestly.

Comments

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

http://serenejournal.livejournal.com/644303.html?nc=4

[jenkitty.livejournal.com]

These things ought to come with the rape kits for emergency rooms.

cflute and I heartily agree that this sounds like a Very Good Idea.

[moropus.livejournal.com]

I agree. for fun, you could go to every drugstore in townand see how many will sell it to you.

[reannon.livejournal.com]

I saw it. I don't know how I feel about it. The morality argument is bullshit, of course, but from what I understand it is a medication that can have serious side effects and/or contraindications. It's a stronger version of birth control pills, which requires a prescription because of the havoc it can wreak on your hormones, blood pressure, etc. It seems indicated that a doctor's prescription should be required. That said, it should absolutely be a part of a rape kit and available at every emergency room, clinic, crisis center, etc. As long as there's a doctor involved somewhere. But I don't know.

[moropus.livejournal.com]

Side effects? We know it has side effects. I had a condom break once. My hospital employee roommate came back with a pack of birth control pills and told me to take them all at once. It worked, but that had side effects. People can try to be responsible and still need this. With all the doctors and pharmists that aren't willing to do their job, this should come mail order, and everyone should keep one for just in case.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Be careful where your information on "serious side effects" comes from. I picked up a pamphlet on "partial-birth abortion" from a pew in a Catholic church in Hawaii once, written by a nurse who actually done the deeds - HORRORS!

Of course, when I went back to investigate the woman, she didn't exist, the hospital she had worked at had never existed - and I'm the one with hospital, doctor and nurse connections, remember - the only people I can actually verify having done anything remotely resembling the deed are the people in the legal proceedings themselves. Period.

The whole "pro-life" movement has some serious credibility issues with me, y'understand.

Let's see what the manufacturer has to say:

When used as directed, Plan B® is safe for most women. There have been no serious complications associated with Plan B®. Some women will experience non-serious side effects, such as nausea, abdominal pain, tiredness, headache, dizziness, or breast tenderness. These are similar to the side effects of regular birth control pills. However, if you should vomit within 1 hour of taking either Plan B® tablet, call your healthcare professional to see if you should repeat the dose.

Some women may have menstrual changes such as spotting or bleeding before their next period. Some women’s next period may be heavier or lighter, earlier or later. Most women will have their next menstrual period at the expected time or within 1 week of the expected time. If your menstrual period is delayed beyond 1 week, you may be pregnant.

Plan B® should not be used:

* If you are already pregnant, because Plan B® will not work
* If you are allergic to levonorgestrel or any of the ingredients in Plan B®
* If you have abnormal vaginal bleeding that has not been evaluated by a healthcare professional
* In place of regular birth control

Plan B® will not affect an existing pregnancy.

I.E., don't put it up your zorch. (Yes dear, some people do. I've got stories, first-hand, of people presenting in emergency rooms with severe injuries to both partners when some bright kid put a contraceptive suppository up their zorch without taking it out of the foil packet and then going for it.) If you puke, you dilute the dose and it might not be effective. Birth control regimens often have side effects like blood clots, hypertension and the like - but this is a one-time dose, so the opportunity for that kind of issue is greatly reduced or nonexistant.

It ain't vitamins. But then again, we're not dealing with a skinned knee here, are we?

[http://users.livejournal.com/little_e_/]

Part of why BC can wreak havoc on your hormones is because people take it every day for months or years at a time. You *don't* take Plan B for months.

And seriously, if you think Plan B fucks with your hormones, you should try pregnancy.

Things like this shouldn't require a trip to the doctor's because trips to the doctor are time consumping and expensive, and Plan B needs to be available *now* and *cheaply* in order to help people.

For that matter, I don't think BC should require prescriptions, either.

[ms-hecubus.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with both points on your (hypothetical) t-shirt. The idiocy of the 18 and over clause makes me want to stand outside the pharmacy and tell teenagers I'll be their source.

I'm surprised Plan B isn't standard after a rape.

[blukat.livejournal.com]

The Trojan man aught to be handing these out...

and amen for the rape kit idea

btw, Earth has also been declassified as a planet since astronomers here can not see it in space.

[turandot.livejournal.com]

Have actually used it twice, and back in the days where the only way to get one would be to tell your gynecologist about your problems (usually - missed more than two contraceptive pills in a row or "I was on antibiotics, and our backup method malfunctioned"), only to be told to go to Planned Parenthood because no pharmacy in the state of Texas would have it. No ifs or buts, and that's pretty annoying - I mean, why have a gynecologist if they're not legally able to provide you with medication?

Honestly? I had no trouble whatsoever with it, and if you ever get a package and read about the clinical studies done by the maker (which are enclosed with the instructions on how to use) you find out that the chance of serious side effects are virtually less than 1%, unless you have a family history of blod clots and high blood pressure. Moreover, as it is just a strong dose of progesterone, if an egg has implanted already, then virtually no harm can come to it. The info is all in the package, if one bothers to read it.

I don't think there's gonna be a rush from any and all women to buy and stock just in case - after all I didn't even know Plan B existed before I actually needed it. There is gonna be many women who already are on a birth control method as prescribed by a doctor who in case of a real emergency (see above) can just be told by their gynecologist or general practitioner, after said doctor looks over at a patient chart, that it's probably not a bad idea to get to a pharmacy. Heck, that means that any ob-gyn group can now actually stock it in their in-house pharmacy, so that their clients can purchase them in the same building, instead of having to make arrangements to get across town (or in some states, to cities that can be hours away by car) within the 48 hour window, when they already have enough other worries (the last time I missed my bcp for three days I literally had so much shit stressing me out that had contributed to it that all I could do for the next hour after realizing what I had done was sob histerically).

It's about damn time.

[bigbigtruck.livejournal.com]

I've used EC only once - did enough research to find out the proper megadose of my normal prescription and got a refill. I had to do it off insurance and off pharmacy records, and pay cash so the transaction couldn't be traced.

It's so nice to know that others will be spared that hassle and guilt.

Shit, I spoke too soon. Of course. There's still the pharmacist and clerk in the way...

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Hence, the taste tests! The ritual spankings!

Oh wait.

[turandot.livejournal.com]

Most Planned Parenthood locations have their own in-house pharmacy, and if you would rather your insurance not know what kind of medication you are taking and why, they're fine with that. In Mississippi, they have one clinic, and are the only clinic left in the whole entire state who has refused to buckle under the pressure of anti-choice activists and still allow women to have whatever elective surgeries they need. Their site posts all sorts of resources, tailored to every woman's choice about what to do if pregnant (including resources for low income women who might not be able to afford the cost of an abortion - which as a medical procedure is not expersive for most income brackets, but still out of reach for many women living under the poverty line).

They are the most awesome pro-woman (i.e., neither choice, nor anti-choice) organization out there, which is why I've donated money to them before, and (when I hopefully dig myself out of my latter day student days) will donate to them again. I can never say enough good things about them.

[alienor77310.livejournal.com]

*Sigh* In France, there is no question that women over 18 can buy this anonymously. Under 18 - it's given anonymously for free by all pharmacies. Not to mention school nurses and Family Planning.

[chipuni.livejournal.com]

I wonder what would happen if a guy ordered it at a pharmacy?

Should I try?

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Oh please, would you? I'd love to know what happens!

[http://users.livejournal.com/little_e_/]

The only 18 and up thing makes me think that they're trying to encourage teen pregnancy...