Sales of Morning-After Pill Double

As use of emergency contraceptive grows, controversy continues unabated

By Sophie Goldstein, Newser User

Posted Jul 13, 2007 2:42 PM CDT

(Newser) – Nearly a year after Plan B became available over the counter, sales of the emergency contraception have doubled, the Washington Post reports. Since the FDA approved nonprescription access to the morning-after pill, sales for 2007 are on track to approach $80 million, the manufacturer says. Proponents laud the trend, but conservative groups continue to argue against easier availability.

Only women 18 and older with ID can buy Plan B without a prescription, a restriction one advocate says has "no medical basis," and that poses difficulty for some illegal immigrants. Opponents contend that even that much access is too much; a spokeswoman for a group suing the FDA says the increased use is "putting women's health at risk."

[Images (3)]

[Videos (1)]

Plan B "Morning After" pill. (http://ec.princeton.edu/)

Plan B, "Morning After" pill, tablets in close-up. (Shutterstock.com)

Woman swallows white tablet. (Shutterstock.com)

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Sales of Morning-After Pill Double