Washington D.C., Jun 15, 2004 / 22:00 pm
An official with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said the recommendation of the American Medical Association to make the morning-after pill available over-the-counter is “appalling.”
Last month, the Federal Drug Administration decided not to make the abortifacient available over-the-counter since current clinical trials do not prove that there are not serious side effects on adolescents.
“That a highly regarded medical association such as the AMA would attack the FDA for fulfilling its mandate – to put health interests over commercial interests – is as sad as it is appalling,” said Gail Quinn, executive director of the USCCB Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities.
The American Medical Association presented its case in favor of the drug’s over-the-counter access yesterday. Reportedly, the president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists told an American Medical Association committee that "the overwhelming data is that [the morning-after pill] is safe, effective and usable across age groups."