Plan B

     In the Nature article entitled, “The Morning After” the author discusses the controversy surrounding the infamous Plan B prescription pill. Women take the Plan B pill the morning after a sexual encounter may have gone the wrong way. This pill is basically taken to prevent a future pregnancy. Many different groups of people were infuriated when Kathleen Sebelius, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services vetoed a decision made by the Food and Drug Administration to allow girls under the age of 17 to be able to acquire this pill on their own. “The Morning After” is a perfect example of the side that feels like Sebelius made the wrong decision. However, there is another group of people that are in favor of Sebelius’ decision which is illustrated through the article entitled, “Protecting Parental Rights: Kathleen Sebelius makes the right call on Plan B”. The Plan B pill, although effective, raises different arguments in a semi-conservative society which is clearly implicated through these two articles.
In “The Morning After”, the author took a stance against Sebelius’ “conservative” ruling. The author couldn’t comprehend why Sebelius would make this decision. It was also completely baffling to the author when President Obama agreed with the ruling because in the beginning of Obama’s campaign he insinuated that he would allow scientists to “do their jobs, free from manipulation or coercion”. After extensive research, the FDA, along with pediatricians, obstetricians, gynecologists, and other staff at the drug-regulator agency, “concluded that it is safe and effective for girls younger than 17 years of age without the currently required prescription- and that these girls could use it correctly without a physician’s help.” Since a significant amount of research was put into the Plan B pill it seemed as if there would be no reason to deny girls of younger ages to have access to the pill if they in fact needed to take it.

     In “Protecting Parental Rights: Kathleen Sebelius makes the right call on Plan B”, the author discusses the other side to this controversy. Basically, this author feels that children do not need to have the option to be able to obtain the Plan B pill; “just because an 11-year old has the potential to bear a child doesn’t mean she should be given an incentive to succumb to pressure to have unprotected sex or get carried away in the act.” This author is responding to the controversy as most parents in this day and age probably would. No parent wants to think that their child is engaging in sexual activities at such an inappropriate age. If the Plan B pill were offered to children of a younger age this author implicates that the “moral code” of the world would continue to decrease. The author strongly illustrates that promoting after sex “contraception” is very wrong.

     After reading both of these articles I realized that I partially agreed with both of them. Being able to provide Plan B for all ages would reduce teenage pregnancies. Even in a conservative society, the reality is that a large amount of teenagers under the age of 17 are engaging in sexual activities. If the Plan B pill was available for all to use it would be an extra preventive measure that could only help and not harm. At the same time, I can see where people like Sebelius, Obama and parents around the world are coming from. As the oldest sibling of four girls I could not imagine how I would feel if my little sisters were able to walk into a pharmacy and acquire a Plan B pill all on their own, let alone how my parent would feel. “ The Morning After” and “Protecting Parental Rights: Kathleen Sebelius makes the right call on Plan B” both bring up valid points to a never-ending controversy. If society could come together and make a beneficial compromise to this situation that would be great but since we have some conservatives reigning over the FDA, for now, the Plan B pill will only be offered to girls 17 and up.

Works Cited

"The Morning after : Nature : Nature Publishing Group." Nature Publishing Group : Science Journals, Jobs, and Information. Web. 03 Feb. 2012. .



"Protecting Parental Rights: Kathleen Sebelius Makes the Right Call on Plan B."Http://communities.washingtontimes.com/. 1 Dec. 2011. Web. 3 Feb. 2012. .