"The Pill"

The morning after pill, commonly known as Plan B, was recently approved by the FDA to allow the over-the-counter prescription for adolescent girls under the age of 17. Because of the alarming rate of teenage pregnancies in the country, the FDA made this decision with the intent of the drug being more readily available for a more targeted age group. However, Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, saw this as an extreme ethical issue and overturned the decision made by the FDA (Nature). The author of “The Morning After Pill” In the December 21st (2011) issue of Nature, the author discusses this controversy in more detail. The author argues that “President Obama’s stance on an emergency contraceptive betrays his promised principles of scientific integrity and sets a troubling precedent for political interference in inconvenient science.” The author claims that many doctors have determined that the pill is safe and effective for girls under the age of 17 and that these girls could use the pill without the help of a physician. Even the FDA’s commissioner expressed the non-existence of ethical issues associated with the administering of the drug (Nature). What the author failed to explore were the negative ethical issues and negative effects of making the drug readily available to adolescents. Allowing this drug to be over-the-counter for those under 17 is morally unethical, encourages sexual activity among youth, and could have an adverse effect on the body of an adolescent.

How does Plan B work? Plan B has three modes of action. It can alter the menstrual cycle which delays ovulation, it can inhibit ovulation which means that the egg will not be released from the ovary, or it can irritate the lining of the uterus to inhibit implantation (The Truth About the Morning After Pill).

Allowing Plan B to be available to teens represents a self-diagnosis gynecology. A child most likely cannot self-prescribe this medication. Dr. Francis Jensen from Harvard University developed a study that demonstrated how the child and adolescent brain is underdeveloped in the areas responsible for critical decision making (Nadal).  It was once thought that the human brain was developed by the age ten. Jensen found that the frontal lobes, which are a crucial part of the brain, were not fully developed at age ten. The frontal lobes are the parts of the brain that consider the possible consequences of actions and decisions made. It is evident that adolescent girls have a lack of knowledge of their bodies, lack of impulse control, and lack of sufficient neurological development needed to make responsible and informed decisions (Nadal).

Plan B as an over-the-counter drug also presents the issue of parental rights. Acknowledging that there are many homes with unstable parenting, it still remains that parents have the right to know what their children are involved with and how their children are going to deal with those issues. Granting minors the accessibility to these pills could in fact be done in secrecy. It allows the girls to think that they can easily and freely get away with giving into their hormones and making careless decisions because they can just get a pill and solve all of their problems. Parents have the right and responsibility of aiding their children in navigating life and working through consequences. By allowing this drug to be available to all, the pharmaceutical companies are providing an easy way to not deal with the consequences of just trying to forget about them completely.

Plan B over-the-counter also sends morally unethical messages. It says to America that it is okay to be sexually active at a young age, thus potentially increasing the amount of STD’s and sexual related diseases. Because plan B prevents pregnancy, children will be more likely to not use protection which can bring about sexual related diseases. It does not enforce the importance of waiting at least until they are responsible adults. This could possibly remove any consequences from sexual predators and pedophiles from having sex with girls (oops! Plan B).

Lastly, when thinking about Plan B, it is important to understand why the FDA’s decision was overturned. The author of the Nature article was quick to bash the decision she made without presenting why she made the decision.  Kathleen Sebelius made a personal statement in a press release stating that the drug proves to be safe and effective scientifically (hhs.gov).  However, the switch from prescription to over the counter for this product requires that we have enough evidence to show that those who use this medicine can understand the label and use the product appropriately. She expressed that that standard was not met by Teva, which is one of the fifteen largest pharmaceutical companies in the world (hhs.gov). The label comprehension and actual use studies did not contain data for all ages for which this product would be available for use. This product hasn’t even been tested for this age range which presents serious ethical issues.

It is clear that Sebilius made the right decision by overturning the FDA’s decision (hhs.gov).
Allowing plan B to be available over the counter for adolescents has huge implications. The open accessibility of this drug is goes against parental rights, induces self-gynecology in adolescents and does not comply with the developmental and psychological aspects of how it can impact adolescent decision making , sends unethical messages, and not to mention the drug does not present enough evidence to show that adolescents can use it properly.

Works Cited

Sebellius, KAthleen. "NEws Release." U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. N.p., December 7, 2011. Web.

"Is Plan B a boon for sexual predators?." oop! Plan B. N.p., 02 May 2009. Web. <http://www.oops-planb.com/2009/05/is-plan-b-a-boon-for-sexual-predators/>.

"The Truth About the Morning After Pill." Morning AFfter Pill. 2005-2012 American Life League, Inc., n.d. Web. <http://www.morningafterpill.org/how-does-it-work.html>.

Nadal, Ph.D, Gerard. "Denying Plan B to Teenagers Protects Girls' Health." LifeNews.com. N.p., 19 Dec 2011. Web. <http://www.lifenews.com/2011/12/09/denying-plan-b-drug-to-teenagers-protects-girls-health/>.

"The Morning After." Nature. 480.413 (2011): n. page. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. <http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v480/n7378/full/480413a.html>.