Debate Swirls Over Morning-After Pill Ruling
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - In a matter of weeks, the so-called 'morning-after pill' will be made available to anyone with the money to buy it—including very young girls.
A federal ruled that the Food and Drug Administration must treat the emergency contraceptive as it does any other over-the-counter drug.
Currently, anyone younger than 17 looking to purchase the emergency contraceptive must have a prescription. It is a layer of protection that critics of the ruling say should remain in place.
"If she has to go to the doctor, if she has to even talk to the pharmacist, there's someone to see that there's a problem," said Kyleen Wright, Texans for Life Coalition. "But, now, there's nothing in place. If she is having sex with her mother's boyfriend, and stops at Walgreen's to get this, there's no one to ask her a question and look out for her."
Lizeth Foreman is a mother of two—including a 14-year-old daughter.
"I am very well aware that anything can happen; anything can happen," Foreman said. "They're teenagers. They don't think like an adult would."
Foreman said she enjoys a wonderful relationship with her daughter and trusts that she would turn to her if ever faced with trouble. But, she also knows that not every girl is that lucky. It's for that reason that she agrees that the morning after pill be made available without restriction.
"There's always going to be the situation where if something does come up I am open to that fact, and I do want her to have that available … not only to her, but to anyone else who is in that situation as well., " Foreman said.
She considers herself pro-life; but, said there is a big difference between emergency contraception and abortion.
Wright agreed and said new research has convinced her that emergency contraception is not the same as abortion. Still, she said the ruling is troubling.
"Do I think 10, 12 and 14- year-old girls should be having babies?" Wright asked. "No, I absolutely do not - from a moral and a health standpoint-- from every standpoint, but I do think that we need to be looking out for them and not just empowering their abusers; so that's a huge problem."
And while the judge's ruling signals an end to the case—the controversy over the issue, may be just beginning.
The judge has given the FDA 30 days to implement the new ruling.
