The head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently ignored the recommendations of two of his own advisory panels when he ruled that the emergency contraceptive Plan B cannot be sold without a prescription across the United States.

He said that Plan B's maker didn't give enough info about teen girls' ability to use Plan B without a prescription, especially girls ages 16 and under. He also said that teen girls would not be able to use Plan B correctly without a doctor's supervision.

Emergency contraception, like Plan B, is what a teen girl can take within five days of unprotected sex to prevent unplanned pregnancy. But the sooner she takes EC, the more effective it is.

 
This means if the condom breaks or her regular birth control method fails, or if she is raped, she can take EC to help prevent pregnancy. EC is not the same as the abortion pill (RU-486) and will not affect a pregnancy if it already exists.

 
Right now, you need a prescription for EC in every state except for California, Alaska, Washington, New Mexico, and Hawaii, where you can get it directly from some pharmacies.

Since the FDA's ruling, many adults—both for and against over-the-counter access to EC—have flooded the media with their opinions about it.

 
But what do teen girls, those really affected by the ruling, have to say? Sex, Etc. asked some to weigh in on the FDA's ruling. Most all opposed the decision, but a few agreed with it. Here's what they had to say:

 
"The FDA's ruling is another injustice against young women in America. Science has developed a pill that will prevent unintended pregnancies after unprotected sex, yet the American government denies us access to this pill, which could preserve our livelihood. 

Girls aged 16 and under are not stupid, and the FDA should not be so bold as to assume they would stop using other forms of birth control. EC is not cheap, and young women can't afford to use it as a regular birth-control method—and most are intelligent enough to understand that. 

Over-the-counter EC would reduce the number of teen pregnancies in this country, simply because young women know the consequences of having a child while still a teen. Girls don't want their lives ruined by teen pregnancy, and the FDA is not helping them prevent that. Responsible girls using birth control should not be punished for a mistake if there is a product that can help them." 

—Shelby Knox, 17, Lubbock, Texas

"The FDA's decision is wrong, and it may even contribute to more unplanned pregnancies. EC is not meant to be used as the only form of protection, so I don't think teen girls will be less likely to use their regular birth-control methods if they take it.

If EC is sold over-the-counter, it will reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies in the U.S. Some countries sell EC over-the-counter and have less then four times the number of teen pregnancies than America.

If it isn't sold over-the-counter, some girls may be afraid that if they go to their family doctor for a prescription, their parents will find out they have sex. Then they won't take action after unprotected sex."

—Kim Doty, 17, Irvine, California

 

"I think back to times when I worried about being pregnant. Even though I always used protection, I probably would have taken EC if it had been readily available, just to be safe. But even so, I agree with the FDA's ruling.

 
"While I don't think over-the-counter access to EC will make teens stop using other forms of protection, I do think it could make them have sex more frequently. It may also make them view sex as virtually risk-free.

"Some teens would begin to have sex more often, because the health risks would no longer seem to exist. They would be more willing to have sex without giving it much thought."

—Lindsay Wilkes-Edrington, 17, North Augusta, South Carolina

"The FDA's ruling is crazy. It is a putdown to all teen girls. It says that we are irresponsible and cannot think for ourselves—that they must think for us. We each have a mind, and we wouldn't stop using our regular birth-control methods if EC were available without a prescription.

"Having better access to it would put a lot of us at ease, just in case we forgot to take other precautions, like using birth control pills or condoms."

—Stepfanie Bishop, 15, San Antonio, Texas

"The FDA has to make up their minds. Either they want to stop unplanned teen pregnancies or they don't. Emergency contraception is a fast, easy, and painless way to prevent pregnancy.

"Many teens are already choosing not to use contraception. Over-the-counter access to EC will help lower the teen pregnancy rates." 

—Monica Losota, 16, Plainwell, Michigan

"I don't agree with the FDA's decision, because it's total hypocrisy to allow a girl to get an abortion, which is a far more mature decision to make, without being 'approved,' but make her get a doctor's approval for EC. By forcing girls to get a prescription, the FDA is essentially requiring them to jump through more hoops. 

"Plan B is an emergency contraceptive and should be treated as such. It should be easy to access in the case of an emergency. By requiring a prescription, the FDA is not allowing Plan B to be used for what it was created.

"Some girls 16 and under might take risks during sexual intercourse if they thought they could get Plan B. Using Plan B would mean, at least in their minds, that they wouldn't have to remember to take their birth control pills. But I feel that only a small percentage of girls would do this—not enough for the FDA to make Plan B available by prescription only."

—Ashley L. Smith, 17, Chattanooga, Tennessee

"I totally agree with FDA's decision, because most teen girls I know would take advantage of Plan B. It should only be used in case of emergencies, so why not go to your doctor if it really is an emergency? Teens would have unprotected sex occasionally, just because they know that Plan B is conveniently available. The idea is wrong the whole way around."

—Cindy Robinson, 16, Washington, D.C.

"The FDA's ruling is a bit of an oxymoron. Doesn't having to get a prescription take the 'emergency' out of 'emergency contraception'? Teens are having sex anyway, some regardless of whether they have protection or not. At least having EC easily availabile will help girls feel safer when they're with their partners."

—Alexandria James, 15, Kendall Park, New Jersey

"If EC were available over-the-counter, teen girls who have been raped and are afraid to go the hospital or tell anyone would be more likely to buy EC and prevent unplanned pregnancy. It would also prevent a lot of abortions."

—Jena, 16, Manchester, Kentucky

Editors' Note: What do you think of the FDA's ruling? Talk to us! To learn more about EC, click here or call the Emergency Contraception Hotline at 1-888-NOT-2-LATE (668-2528). For info on Plan B, click here or call 1-800-330-1271.