Abortion Pill Approved for Over the Counter Use

What are you doing Mr. President? In a press conference on Monday President George W. Bush told reporters that he favored the distribution of the "emergency contraceptive" as a non prescription drug known as the "morning after pill" and that he backed Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach. Under the FDA plan, the drug may be sold over the counter (OTC) to women over 18 and made available by prescription to teen girls. The FDA announced Thursday that they have approved the drug for OTC distribution. The drug contains a higher dosage of ingredients than are used in prescribed birth control pills. It is odd that the lower dosage birth control pills require a prescription but the higher dosage "morning after" pill does not. Even standard dosage birth control pills are known to cause blood clots, heart attacks, strokes and other health risks. The reality is that anyone over 18 -even a man - can purchase the "morning after" pills and give the drug to underage girls without the knowledge or consent of parents or of her physician. This poses great health risks. Despite these considerable risks, this potent drug has not shown very reliable in preventing unwanted pregnancies but well may have increased the rate of sexually transmitted diseases (STD's). For example, in the United Kingdom the STD rates have increased since the "morning after" pills have been made available, and in Scotland where the drug has been available for 15 years, abortion rates have not decreased. - William J Murray, Religious Freedom Coalition