A year after Plan B change, access still hit-or-miss
WASHINGTON - When the Food and Drug Administration allowed the so-called "morning-after pill" to be sold over the counter last year, reproductive rights advocates felt they'd cleared a major hurdle in eliminating delays that diminish the drug's effectiveness.
But nearly a year after the emergency contraceptive Plan B became easier to purchase, obtaining it without a prescription remains a hit-or-miss proposition for some women.
Inconsistent or confusing state laws and store policies, along with some pharmacists who won't dispense it for religious reasons, are complicating and sometimes blocking access to the drug.
FDA restrictions on how the drug is sold without a prescription are contributing to the problem, experts said. The agency requires Plan B to be stored behind the pharmacy counter rather than on store shelves, and buyers must be at least 18 years old and must prove it with government identification.
