FDA approves 'ella' for use as emergency contraception

[steve2470]

Source: Washington Post

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a controversial new form of emergency contraception that can prevent a pregnancy for as many as five days after sex.

The decision to allow the sale of the pill, which will be marketed under the brand name "ella," was welcomed by family-planning proponents as a crucial new option to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Critics, however, condemned the decision, arguing that it was misleading to approve ella as a contraceptive because the drug could also be used to cause abortions.

Ella can reduce the chances of becoming pregnant after unprotected sex by about two-thirds for at least 120 hours, studies have shown. The only other emergency contraceptive on the market, the so-called morning-after pill sold as Plan B, is significantly less effective, begins to lose its effectiveness almost immediately and becomes ineffective after 72 hours.

Supporters and opponents both said the decision marked the clearest evidence of a shift in the influence of political ideology at the FDA. The last time the FDA considered an emergency contraceptive -- making Plan B available without a prescription -- the decision became mired in controversy because of similar concerns by anti-abortion activists. Plan B was eventually approved for sale to women 18 and older without a prescription, but only after repeated delays.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/13/AR2010081305098.html?hpid=topnews

[Downwinder]

1. Ban automobiles, they can also cause deaths. n/t

[NC_Nurse]

2. These people dont want anyone to use any contraception. They will lose they're

favorite hair-on-fire issue if abortions become extremely rare.

And by Gawd, someone might have fun having UNWED sex! The horror, the horror!!!

[Downwinder]

3. They also don't want to take care of the byproducts. n/t

[Bluebear]

4. You can stand under my umbrella, ella, ella, hey, hey...

Never mind.

[savalez]

9. I get it.

[qazplm]

11. first thing I thought of too

now Rihanna is a contraceptive?

[yowzayowzayowza]

5. Wonderful!!

K&R

[frebrd]

6. Well, that's one more prescription........

the nut-case fundie pharmacists will refuse to fill!

[damntexdem]

7. Just don't use it on salmon.

;-)

[truthisfreedom]

8. Good thing to have on hand.

[DavidDvorkin]

10. Will we ever see the day

when such a news story does NOT include the objections of the fundie wackos?

[BlueJazz]

12. Oh,Boy I can hear the anti-choice crowd now gearing up for a misinformation campaign on this pill.

"Tests have shown that Women who take ella suffer severe depression and Blah, Blah, Blah..Same ol' Shit..Blah, Blah...

[elehhhhna]

13. ruin the name ella. great. very very stupid name for an abortifacient.

[cosmicone]

14. "What Barbara Bush should have used" is too long. n/t

[elehhhhna]

18. LOL, is not!

[Yavin4]

15. Pffttt No Pill Can Stop Levi Johnson's Sperm n/t

[lanlady]

16. from the article:

"Studies have found that many women fail to realize they are at risk for an unplanned pregnancy after unprotected sex."

okay, exactly how clueless do you have to be not to know that?

[niyad]

17. as stupid as a young woman in college who, upon being told that the rabbit had died, wailed,

"but, doctor, he told me it wasn't his fertile period" (and she was attending one of the best schools in the country)