Media Center: Press Release

Physicians denounce FDA's repeated delays of application to make emergency contraception available over-the-counter

Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health (PRCH), the nation's only physician-led organization dedicated to ensuring that all people have the knowledge, access, and freedom of choice to make their own reproductive health decisions, is not surprised by the FDA’s stalling on the decision to permit over-the-counter access to emergency contraception. The organization expresses deep concern for the health of America's women and censure for the agency that is once again allowing politics to trump scientific evidence.

"In delaying the decision about over-the-counter access to emergency contraception, the FDA has ignored the medical evidence, disregarded the review of two of their own advisory panels, and continued to make it harder for women to get needed reproductive healthcare," said Wendy Chavkin, MD, MPH, and Chair of the Board of Directors of PRCH.

"The truth is, increased access to emergency contraception will prevent unintended pregnancies. It is safe, effective, and can be reliably self-administered," continued Chavkin. "The FDA and the Bush Administration are letting ideology trump science, unfortunately at the expense of American women."

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