In December 2003, The Food And Drug Administration Of The... Essay - 703 words

In December 2003, the Food and Drug Administration of the USA has recommended the pill, also known as "morning-after" contraception pill, be available for customers over the counter. The pill must be taken during 72 hours of unprotected sex; it includes a high dose of the hormone progestin. So-called "morning-after pills" have been discovered and known among medical experts for last two decades. But a lot of women in the United States remained unaware and misinformed about their use. The FDA still has to make a decision whether to follow this recommendation, being under strong political pressure to refuse the move. The morning-after pill or PCP (post-coitus pill) is effective when a woman has an act of unprotected intercourse or when a contraceptive method fails. If the condom broke, or the birth control pills were not taken in time, or, worse, a woman was raped; emergency contraception offers an essential alternative to the prospects of abortion or motherhood. It also can be used when a woman who takes the pill has had a tummy upset and is hesitated if she may have 'missed' her pill and its effectiveness against pregnancy.


It's a secure and quite affordable treatment a woman can use anywhere. The PCP has also important value in cases of rape. Any woman who has been raped should categorically be offered such a pill as soon as possible. Tests showed that the pill prevents pregnancy 75 percent of the time if taken within 72 hours after sexual intercourse. In order to get the prescription-only pills, a woman has to contact her doctor, often when offices are closed, then she needs to find a pharmacy that has the drug available, and she has to do this as soon as possible, preferably during 24 hours. Thats why the necessity of selling these pills over-the-counter took place.


Critics, opposed to the sale morning-after pills without a prescription, said that no studies have been carried out to show if long-term use of the drug is safe. Opponents are arguing that easier access to emergency contraception will increase unsafe sex, particularly among the teenagers. They take the idea if FDA as objection of moral conscience, a new hidden form of aggression against the weakest and mo ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Essay Tags: food and drug administration, pill, drug administration, birth control, drug

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