Posted: 07/15/2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 15, 2005

Senators Clinton and Murrays Hold a Victory, Gives Bush Administration 46 Days to Either Side with Sound Science or Cave in to the Radical Right

(Washington, DC)  Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, praised Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Patty Murray (D-WA) for securing a September 1 deadline for the Food and Drug Administration to act on a petition to follow the recommendation of its scientific and medical advisory panels to make the Plan B morning-after pill available over the counter.
Senators Clinton and Murrays actions highlighted how Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Lester Crawford's inability to explain why he ignored scientific and medical panels' recommendation to make the Plan B morning-after pill available over the counter. The morning-after pill can significantly reduce a womans chance of becoming pregnant if taken soon after sex or sexual assault. FDA also has stalled on acting on a second petition approving the application since the agency missed a self-imposed deadline of January 20 earlier this year.
Americans are grateful to Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Patty Murray for their courageous leadership in holding Dr. Crawford accountable for buckling under political pressure. The Bush administration wanted the public to forget how they caved in to radical right extremists when they blocked womens access to common-sense birth control, but thanks to Senators Clinton and Murray, the administration couldnt sweep this outrageous action under the rug. Our ultimate goal was to get the FDA to act, and now there is a deadline from which they cannot hide, Keenan said. President Bushs FDA has 46 days until they must decide whether to side with the doctors and scientists who overwhelmingly support giving women over-the-counter access to the pill or, once again, cave in to the anti-birth control radical right. The morning-after pill is a safe, effective way to help women prevent unintended pregnancies. Over-the-counter access is the compassionate option for rape and sexual assault survivors to prevent an unintended pregnancy from a tragic criminal attack. NARAL Pro-Choice America first urged the FDA to give women better access to the morning-after pill almost five years ago. In February 2004, NARAL Pro-Choice America submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Act regarding the political pressure used in the morning-after pill decision, but the FDA refused to reply to this initial letter and a subsequent request.
More than a year later, FDA continues to refuse to make information about its deliberations public. Recently, NARAL Pro-Choice America directed a campaign that generated more than 26,000 messages from all 50 states to the FDA, asking the agency to listen to the recommendations of its scientific and medical review panels and approve this increased access to the morning-after pill.

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Contact: Ted Miller at 202.973.3032