I am extremely disappointed with the decision of the Food and Drug Administration to sell the Plan B One Step morning-after pill over-the-counter to children as young as 15 years old.
And the FDA's explanation was this was a compromise to a previous decision by the agency to lift all age limits on the sale of the high-dose contraception, which will be sold in not only pharmacies, but in retail outlets with on-site pharmacies even when the pharmacy itself is closed. The contraception will reside on shelves in family planning aisles, and the 'compromise' is that anyone who buys it must show proof of age.
I will stay true to my beliefs that there is a danger to providing these types of medications over-the-counter, especially to young children.
I still believe there are risks associated with these medications, especially potential over-abuse, specifically in young patients. Side effects to Plan B can include, but are not limited to: migraines, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and blood clots.
However, this decision is just another example of how our health care system is broken - and no one is really watching what's going on in America today.
Not long ago, President Obama supported Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in her decision not to sell Plan B to young women.
It seems like everything else in this administration changes when there are hard decisions to make. And, as always, these politicians keep looking for a range of options.
I wish President Obama would tell the American public tomorrow why this is a decision that he supports.