"Morning After" Contraceptive May Go OTC (from ATSNN)

Originally posted by FlyersFan
The World Health Organization semi-disagrees with you. (see previous
response). Levonorgestrel has had MANY studies done on it and
they all came back registering SIGNIFICANT problems with
Levonorgestrel. True, for most people taking 2 doses of levonorgestrel
won't harm in the long run, however, the study points out that many,
if not most, women who take the levonorgestrel go back time and time
again for more. They use it as a means of birth control instead of
as an emergency contraceptive.

In what study is there any evidence that women who use the morning after pill will "go back time and time again for more"? The evidence presented showed that there was no change in behavior.

Two doses of levonorgestrel will not cause any serious or lasting side effects. Birth control pills do have side effects, but that isn't what we are talking about here.

If you are referring to misuse of the morning after pill, then you would have to take every OTC drug off the market. Any OTC drug will have consequences if used off-label or inappropriately. Using that logic, Tylenol should be taken off the market because it is repeatedly used by people after they have been drinking, resulting in serious liver damage. Benedryl, Sudaphed and any cold remedy should be taken off the market because teenagers take them in large doses so they can have hallucinations, which may result in heart failure and death. Fred Flintstone vitamins and children's aspirin should be taken off the market because children frequently eat them like candy, causing organ damage and/or death.

Every major medical organization supports the approval of public OTC access for the morning-after pill. There wouldn't be such overwhelming support from the medical community if there were any serious health effects. The only non-supporters are the Bush appointed FDA director and conservative religious groups. This is an attempt to regulate lifestyle, not protect women's health.

The only concern as far as the FDA should be considering is if the product is safe to have without a presecription.

Originally posted by lmgnyc
In what study is there any evidence that women who use the morning after pill will "go back time and time again for more"?

If you are referring to misuse of the morning after pill,

This was quoted - 'The international abortion community made MAP a
routine part of its emergency health battery for displaced peoples. In
Albania, a prominent clinic director lamented that young people
especially "use it every time they have sexual intercourse."

YES, that's what I'm referring to ... potential misuse of the MAP.
It has been documented in other countries. I'm VERY concerned
that teenagers will be taking this stuff and not understanding
the long term consequences of FREQUENT use. I'd really like to
see this given only by a Doctor's prescription (if at all). It's not
that big of a deal to have it this way. Teenagers have access
to health care and abortuaries already. It's not a big deal to
have this under a doctor's care. I don't see the harm in it.
I can only see the benefits. Sorry, but I'd rather be cautious
then just jump right in.

Remember Vioxx and Aleve? Those were supposedly okay too.
When it comes to our kids ... I guess the mom in me takes over
and I'd much rather be careful and over cautious. This is a
powerful drug. I'd just rather it be under a doctor's care.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
YES, that's what I'm referring to ... potential misuse of the MAP.
It has been documented in other countries. I'm VERY concerned
that teenagers will be taking this stuff and not understanding
the long term consequences of FREQUENT use. I'd really like to
see this given only by a Doctor's prescription (if at all).

It should definitly be given out, but this is certainly a good arguement for perscription only approval. Apparently its up to the FDA tho. What are the long term consequences associated with this substance?

Remember Vioxx and Aleve? Those were supposedly okay too.

Precisely. Even outside of any pro/anti abortion issue, there are simple medical issues. I find it difficult to beleive, on the face of it, that a bill that affects hormones (this is how it prevents the attachment of a fertilized egg to the uterine wall and I think it also prevents proper formation of things like the placenta and other attachement organs) can be given out without prescription.

This is a powerful drug.[/quiote]
I'm not so certain that its less 'powerful' than other over the counter drugs. I'd like to see some studies on this, are you or anyone else in the thread familiar with the revelant studies or have them available?

I have had pregnecies due to condom failure (well not me.. the person I was with) and let me tell you.. its not a fun thing to have to go through.. the abortions I mean.. SO.. after you have gone through such a thing, and been manipulated by a female over a pregency (sick, yes I know.. you don't have to tell me.. I am much less permiscuse these days because of such things) you can not tell me that the morning after pill is a bad thing.

You have no idea the evil in this world. And if unwanted pregnancys can't be stopped before it starts to become a problem, then the chances are higher it will end in a dumpster with an umbilical cord around its neck.

You can say the pill is evil all you want. I guess then this is a case of the lesser evil because, I know a lot of girls out there, that in NO FRELLING WAY should they have a child (and they do) .. and if this pill had been available then there was a much greater chance that these kids would not have been brought in to the world (those girls are going to be grandmothers at 40... because their kids do not stand a chance either.. just a sad fact).

Besides.. women get to chose what to do to their bodies.. plain and simple. They don't want to go through a pregnacy then every resource should be available to them to stop it if the preliminary ones fail.

VMX

"I promise, you'll never be reunited with your child."
"I'm sure your mother felt the same about you."

Originally posted by Nygdan
[

Remember Vioxx and Aleve? Those were supposedly okay too.

Precisely. Even outside of any pro/anti abortion issue, there are simple medical issues.

This is a powerful drug.

I'm not so certain that its less 'powerful' than other over the counter drugs. I'd like to see some studies on this, are you or anyone else in the thread familiar with the revelant studies or have them available?

...This from Reuters:
"A television commercial for Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s Seasonale misleads consumers by excluding risk information to make the birth control pill seem safer, U.S. health regulators warned in a letter released on Thursday. The commercial suggests use of the oral contraceptive leads to only four menstrual periods a year but fails to mention frequent and sometimes substantial bleeding..."

....Too often, patients are turned into guinea pigs - walking laboratories tailor-made to check out side effects.



.

Originally posted by Vis Mega
you can not tell me that the morning after pill is a bad thing.

Yes, the MAP is a bad thing when it is available for ABUSE.
There is significant abuse of MAP in other countries, why do
you think it would be different with teenagers here?

There is absolutely no harm to doing this slowly and carefully.
MAP with a doctor watching carefully. If you are concerned
about privacy - teens can get to a doctor without parents
knowing, they do it all the time.

This is a highly potent drug. Mix that with the lifestyles and
lack of concern about their health and future among MANY
MANY teens in this country ... and you have a very dangerous
mix. There is absolutely no harm in having this under a doctor's
care ... only good. However, there is potential for massive
abuse and ill health for millions of teens in America if not done
with a doctors care.

Go slowly and carefully. That's what I'm saying.

These things are available over the counter in the UK.

There's nothing "murderous" about it. If you feel that strongly then you should also be against condoms and spermicides correct? Sperm are living too

Originally posted by Nerdling
If you feel that strongly then you should also be against condoms and spermicides correct? Sperm are living too

My main reason for being against MAP being available OTC is
for abuse reasons and that there are long term effects on a
womans body if MAP is used frequently. I know other OTC
drugs are available and can be abused, but MAP has particular
deadly and/or long term effects. The teens I know and see
around town just don't think long term consequence ...
They have the 'it can't happen to me' thought process ...
I don't see the maturity to be able to use this drug in a
thoughtful and careful manner.

If available OTC it will be abused. If you put an age restriction
on it, then the older boyfriends or older friends will just buy it
for the younger users. The WHO says that other countries have
problems with women and girls taking this drug and popping them
frequently.

It's not that much of an inconvienience to have this under a
doctor's care.

It DOES have potential major problems being OTC.
Keep in mind the 'it can't happen to me' attitude of teenagers.
Look around at the maturity level of teens in your town.

I see disaster looming if this doesn't at least start out under
prescription and doctors care. Call me a worried mom-type
(I am) ... but most teens just aren't that responsible and caring
about long term health consequences. That's what I see.


[edit on 1/21/2005 by FlyersFan]

Most teens don't know what they're doing or the risks involved because they're not being taught

Sex ed for all teens. Not abstinence only.

[edit on 21-1-2005 by Nerdling]

Abstinence is not going to happen. It never has, and it never will. There is nothing wrong with a morning after pill, in fact I'd like to see them sell the things at gas stations and give them out at schools. If that is what it takes to keep girls from having to produce an unwanted child or get an abortion, then wonderful. The risks of unwanted pregnancies which foster poverty abuse and neglect, and the rights of a woman over her own body take precedent over fundamental nut jobs' beliefs. I am so sick of religous impositions, who are you to tell anybody what to do with thier body? For god's sake, abortion is terrible enough, granted, but we aren't talking about late term gorey proceedures to rip a viable developed fetus out, we are talking about a pill that can keep an abortion from happening and you nut jobs still don't like it. I threw a spent condom away once, does that make me a killer? Was it my sperm? Is it any of your business? No. Is menstrating murder? Is masturbation Murder? My god people, morality is subjective, not dictative.
Do you not remeber puberty? Did you abstain? Do you honestly think people are going to stop having sex for pleasure? Uh, no. This is not abortion, this is an ALTERNATIVE to abortion. Put that bible down for a minute and just consider the remote possibility that maybe it's none of your business what other folks do with their bodies. I mean people aren't standing outside the grocery store trying to keep you from buying a bag of greasey pork rinds, planting bombs in pork rind factories to kill pork rind makers. The day you nut jobs can legislate what I do with my body is the day you are gonna have to pay my bills and taxes. You do that, then you tell me what people can't or can't do with their bodies. I think I am going to smoke a cigarette now, is that ok?

Originally posted by soficrow
...Too often, patients are turned into guinea pigs - walking laboratories tailor-made to check out side effects.

I agree that there shouldn'tbe advertising for perscription medecine on television. Commericals attempt to sell product, obviously. Medecine should not ba treated as a product, its technology, technology that requires more than a thirty second advertisement to understand. Doctors, at the very least, shouldn't have to deal with patients seeing such ads and pressuring them to give them such and such medecine.

Having said that, if there is no reason, in terms of safety, to require a prescription for the drug, then there is no reason to not make it over the counter, but, just intuitively, I almost can't beleive that a pill that alters hormones for a particular effect can be safely sold as OTc.



.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
Yes, the MAP is a bad thing when it is available for ABUSE.

What problems does MAP abuse lead to?

nerdling
If you feel that strongly then you should also be against condoms and spermicides correct?

Condoms don't regulate hormones in the body and cause, effectively, miscarriage. Forget about any moral pandering, there is a legitimate concern for the person's health. But, if this pill can only cause serious problems if its abused, well, what other OTC drugs cause problems when seriously abused? No reason to treat this pill differently than any others.

Originally posted by twitchy
There is nothing wrong with a morning after pill, in fact
I'd like to see them sell the things at gas stations and
give them out at schools. If that is what it takes to keep
girls from having to produce an unwanted child or get an
abortion, then wonderful.

Sorry twitchy but this sounds highly irresponsible. Handing
out a potent drug at gas stations and in schools ... to
irresponsible teenagers to use when ever they feel like it
... without a doctors supervision .... that's just asking for
major medical problems for those children later in life.
The WHO admits that frequent use of the MAP leads to
VERY serious medical problems.
Medical problems that, no doubt, we all will be paying for
through our taxes and higher medical insurance rates.
And no, those higher taxes, higher medical insurance rates,
and higher incidents of major medical problems are not
worth having these pills handed out in schools now to
prevent a possible pregnancy.

Having a doctor's care now will PREVENT future medical
problems for those children AND will prevent future financial
burdens on them and us.

There is no added burden upon the female to have a
doctor prescribe and monitor use of MAP. However, there
IS a potential burden upon all of us if MAP is not monitored
and teens abuse the drug (and considering the maturity
of teens in America ... the potential for abuse is considerable)

BTW - I'm talking not from a religious point of view. I'm talking
from a financial and medical point of view.

Originally posted by Nygdan

Originally posted by FlyersFan
Yes, the MAP is a bad thing when it is available for ABUSE.

What problems does MAP abuse lead to?

I understand that other OTC drugs can be abused. It's just that
the potential for long term serious effects (when abused) has been
documented by the WHO. Couple that with teen behavior ....
It just has me very worried. I understand that using this once
or twice probably won't hurt a person. If it is used as an
EMERGENCY medication ... but the WHO says that in other countries
people are using it like a contraceptive ... If abused these things
can happen -

***********************************************
(quote from first page here )
These well-documented adverse side effects include significant weight
gain (on average 15 pounds), depression, ovarian cyst enlargement,
gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, respiratory disorders,
increased risk of ectopic pregnancy5 and death. In some women, these
serious adverse effects of levonorgestrel-type MAP could lead to further
health risks for bulimia, anorexia, or clinical depression.

While these risks are multiplied with increased use ... In Albania, a
prominent clinic director lamented that young people especially "use it
every time they have sexual intercourse."

****************************************

I maintain that it isn't that difficult for women to go to the doctor
to get this pill. Monitoring by the doctor now, will help all of us
later. If this pill is really used for emergency purposes only, then
it will be used sparingly and going to a doctor once or twice to get
it won't be a burden.

I'm going to bow out of this talk now ... I have to go ...
But that's where I stand. It's not a burden to go to the doctor
once or twice in a person's life to get a highly potent pill.
Considering teen behavior in this country ... It just makes sense to me.

I wonder if the Morning After pill works for Bush's Inauguration?


Worth a shot, what else do we have?

This may be a moot point if Wal-Mart continues to refuse to sell the pills in their pharmacies. For women in rural areas, sometimes W-M is the only game in town.

I don't think plan-B will ead to more promiscuity for the mere fact that it will cost you money. If you are willing to spend money on plan-B you might as well buy the cheaper(?) standard contraceptive pills, so I think it will live up to its name: plan-b if plan-A fails....

Originally posted by FlyersFan
These well-documented adverse side effects include significant weight
gain (on average 15 pounds), depression, ovarian cyst enlargement,
gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, respiratory disorders,
increased risk of ectopic pregnancy5 and death. In some women, these
serious adverse effects of levonorgestrel-type MAP could lead to further
health risks for bulimia, anorexia, or clinical depression.

While these risks are multiplied with increased use ... In Albania, a
prominent clinic director lamented that young people especially "use it
every time they have sexual intercourse."

The article that you referenced is fundamentalist propoganda and misleading--not to mention written by an anti-abortion activist. These "well-documented" side-effects are for Norplant, which is a levonorgestrel-only contraceptive device, NOT the morning-after pill. Norplant delivers a continuous dose of levonorgestrel over five years, where the MAP is a event-only dose taken over 24 hours (and at about $14 a dose.)

In plainer terms, to use MAP as birth control in order to experience the side effects you mentioned, a teenager would have to spend over $5,000 a year. Do you honestly think that the kind of teen that would do such a thing (probably not the type that has access to daddies credit card) is going to have that kind of cash?

Also, the "study" that you referenced is a comment from a doctor in Albania. If you would read the citations for the article, there is nothing there of substance that actually supports the author's position.

What was most interesting was the evidence presented at the FDA hearing in December 2003. A study of 15,000 women between the ages of 14 to 29 in the UK over a three year period revealed that there was no evidence of women using MAP "like candy" as you asserted. Only 3% used MAP 2 times over the period, 1% used it 3 times, and 0.8% used it more than 3 times.

That kind of dosing of levonorgestrel will not cause any side effects. You could take levonorgestrel every day for weeks and still not have any serious side effects. Weight gain associated with taking continual usagewill go away once you stop. You will not ovulate nor menstruate, but that will also regulate back to normal once you stop taking hormones.

As mentioned earlier, the main reason why teens won't be taking MAP like candy is because a two-pill dose costs about twice that of a box of condoms and may cause nausea, vomiting and headaches. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure that one out.

It is also uninformed to believe that it is just as easy to go to a doctor. Taking MAP is 50% more effective when taken in the first 12 hours after sex. Just try getting a doctor's appointment within 12 hours--especially if you need to take this on a Friday or Saturday night. With every passing hour, MAP becomes less effective and there is more of a chance of pregnancy. That is why it is calle EMERGENCY contraception & why it needs to be readily available.

More stats--53% of unwanted pregnancies occur because of contraception failures, and half of those unwanted pregnancies result in abortion. It is estimated that if Plan B was readily available, at least half of those abortions could be prevented.

Can't we all agree that preventing abortions and unwanted pregnancy is a good thing?

www.fda.gov...

Hmmm, well, first, Hahahahaha! All those "reports" and "studies" are about as credible as Newsmax or the republican party.

Anyways, if you don't like condoms, spermicide, abortion, pills, wtf you gonna do when you have 50million teens knocked up cause you banned everything that kept them from getting pregnant? You gonna raise the money for all those kids you created? Probably not...