Medical association’s support for greater access to morning-after pill ‘appalling’, says USCCB official

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."

However, the drug's manufacturer, Barr Laboratories, admitted to the FDA that there are no studies of the drug's effect on adolescents, said Quinn. She pointed out that Barr’s estimated profits on the drug could range between $25 million and $100 million.