Plan B and "Sex Cults"

The Center for Reproductive Rights is suing the FDA for stalling the approval of the emergency contraceptive Plan B for over-the-counter availability. This week lawyers representing the Center get to question various current and former FDA officials about how decisions were made about Plan B. Newsday is reporting that one FDA memo detailed the concerns of Actiing FDA Deputy Commissioner for Operations, Janet Woodcock:

Simon Heller, one of the attorneys, plans to quiz Woodcock about a March 23, 2004, staff memo suggesting she was concerned Plan B might lead to teenage promiscuity.

The FDA is only supposed to consider the safety and efficacy of drugs.

In the memo released by the FDA during the discovery process, Dr. Curtis Rosebraugh, an agency medical officer, wrote: "As an example, she stated that we could not anticipate, or prevent extreme promiscuous behaviors such as the medication taking on an 'urban legend' status that would lead adolescents to form sex-based cults centered around the use of Plan B."

Look for the FDA to conclude soon that condoms and the pill must be banned because they too may encourage sexual activity.

Whole Newsday article here.

Reason's take on the controversy here and here.

Disclosure: I have donated less than $100 to support the Center for Reproductive Rights.