Editorial: Spurning science on morning-after pill

Because of an ill-advised decision by the U.S. secretary of Health and Human Services, females of all ages will continue to have limited access to an important form of birth control.

Last week, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius overruled the federal Food and Drug Administration by maintaining the current age restriction on emergency contraception.

As a result, the so-called morning-after pill will remain behind pharmacy counters and unavailable to girls 16 and younger who don't have a prescription. Timing matters with this drug -- it is most effective within 24 hours of unprotected sex.

The restrictions also require pharmacies to keep the drug behind the counter, so even women 17 and older must ask for it rather than purchase it off the shelf.

Though Sebelius and President Obama say they maintained the age restriction out of concern for younger teens, there is widespread speculation that politics drove the decision.

With an election year around the corner, the move could be a concession to the anti-abortion, anti-birth control crowd.

Whatever their reasons, it's disappointing to see an administration that promised to "return science to its rightful place" go so far afield from that pledge.

In this case, the Obama administration disregarded FDA studies that found the Plan B pill to be safe and effective when sold over-the-counter to all females.

Multiple studies agreed, concluding that young people were not more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior when they have unrestricted access to contraception.

In fact, recent statistics indicate that increased access is working. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. teen birthrate dropped steadily for the past three years to a record low of 34 births per 1,000 teens ages 15-19.

The number of abortions also decreased for that age group. A Guttmacher Institute analysis of that data notes that the number of teens having sex didn't drop. Rather, they are increasing their use of birth control, including emergency contraceptives.

Despite the research, Sebelius said she was not convinced that enough research had been done on how the drug could affect pre-teens, or on whether they would understand how to use the pills. She noted that a small percentage of 11-year-olds are able to bear children.

After a thorough review, the FDA determined that the Plan B One-Step was safe and effective for teens and that teens understood on their own what the product did -- and didn't do -- and how to use it.

The agency's recommendation to make it available over-the-counter was consistent with positions taken by the nation's most prestigious medical, scientific and public health organizations.

The secretary and president say their decision was based on the health and safety of younger girls.

But the risks, consequences and long-term effects of pregnancy for 11- to 16-year-olds far outweigh the dangers of using Plan B. An administration truly interested in putting science first would reconsider the Sebelius decision.

* * *