Plan B, commonly known as the morning-after pill, was approved for over-the-counter purchase last week and will be available in the Student Health Center in a few months. After several years of debate between politicians and medical, religious and feminist organizations, the Federal government announced Aug. 24 that Plan B, which is currently offered by prescription only, will be offered as an over-the-counter drug to women 18 and older by the end of this year. Women under 18 will still need a prescription to obtain the emergency contraceptive pill. Plan B can be taken up to 72 hours after unprotected sex or failed contraceptive has occurred. Dr. Timothy Honigman of the Student Health Center said some studies have shown that the pill is effective up to five days after. Plan B prevents pregnancy by stopping the release of an egg from the ovary, preventing the union of sperm and egg. If fertilization does occur Plan B may prevent the fertilized egg from attaching to the womb, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Honigman said the Student Health Center has provided Plan B prescriptions since 2000 and will be offering it over the counter as soon as packaging is approved and distributed. He said he expects it to be available by November or December. Currently, a prescription of Plan B is $20 at the Health Center and about $37 at other Baton Rouge pharmacies. Honigman said he expects Plan B’s price to rise after it is released over the counter. Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc., who has sold Plan B since 1999, said in an Aug. 25 Associated Press report that the pill will be released over the counter by the end of this year but the price “could be slightly higher.” Crystal Lander, campus program director of the Feminist Majority Foundation, said this is a victory for women over the age of 18. She said Plan B should be a common staple for every woman to own in case their form of contraception fails. Julie Mickelberry, director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood of Louisiana/Mississippi Delta, said the drug should also be allowed over the counter for women of all ages because there has been no scientific evidence the drug is unsafe for women of any age. Honigman agreed Plan B is safe as long as it is not used as a regular form of birth control. But he said he is worried some women will forgo their birth control and use of condoms which may contribute to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. He also said he is afraid women will be less likely to visit their gynecologists for regular examinations. “It may make it less likely for people to be as safe as they can be,” Honigman said. Despite that the drug will only be released to women over 17, Honigman said he fears there will be an increase in younger people having unprotected sex. When women are written prescriptions for Plan B at the Student Health Center, a doctor encourages them to get on a regular form of birth control and reminds them to be conscious of their “sexual health,” Honigman said. Now that students can go straight to the pharmacy without that prescription, he said he is concerned students will be losing that dialogue. “We’re there to educate as well as treat,” Honigman said. Mickelberry said there is no reason to believe that easier accessibility to Plan B will result in a decline in health or responsibility. “Women use [Plan B] responsibly and there’s no scientific evidence to show an increase of promiscuity as a result of accessibility,” Mickelberry said. University students have a range of opinions about the release of the over-the-counter drug. “It’s going to make people have more sex,” said Harvey Werner, mass communication senior. “It’ll ease their guilt and consequences.” Devin Larmew, mass communication junior, agreed that people might stop using condoms. “People aren’t educated enough,” Larmew said. “If there’s a way to get around it, people won’t use condoms.” Daniel Dudley, civil engineering sophomore, said he was on the fence about the issue. “It’s good because you won’t have as many unplanned births,” Dudley said. Christy Prouty said she is not worried that people will have more unprotected sex, but she is concerned that it isn’t applicable to women under 17. “A lot of those pregnancies aborted are in that age range,” Prouty said. “It doesn’t make sense that it’s not offered to that demographic that needs it.”
—–Contact Rebeka Allen at [email protected]