Plan Z for Plan B

If you want a case study in the militant insanity of the anti-abortion movement, consider the political drama surrounding Plan B, the combination of pills that prevent pregnancy if taken within 72 hours after having unprotected sex.

Despite the fact that Plan B prevents unwanted pregnancies, which could likely lead to abortion, the anti-abortion movement and Bush administration have fiercely resisted letting Plan B be dispensed over the counter. It is currently available via prescription, but because of the tight timeframe in which it is effective that restriction is onerous. The window on a Friday night indiscretion or condom mishap closes on Monday, giving the woman one business day to secure an appointment, see her doctor, get the prescription and hope that the pharmacy isn't closed by the time she gets there or that the pharmacy doesn't have a religious position that they don't fill those prescriptions.

Today the FDA announced that it plans to "consider" allowing OTC sales of Plan B. More likely, this is just another stalling tactic meant to ease the Democrats' questioning of FDA head nominee von Eschenbach tomorrow in the Senate.

The opponents' main sound byte argument is that OTC sales will encourage teens to have sex. Taking Plan B is not exactly like popping breath mints. It is a serious dose of hormones that usually results in nausea, mood swings and some level of incapacitation and I doubt that teens are thinking that far ahead anyway. A logical anti-abortion movement would embrace Plan B as a good way to prevent abortion, but logic might be just what that movement is lacking.