To: Kathleen M. Rice

From: Devora Schapiro

Date: January 14, 2020

Re: Lowering the Age Restriction for over the counter Plan B

Statement of Issue: Should we lower the age restriction for over the counter Plan B One Step?

According to the CDC 5.8 million women between the ages of 15-44 have used emergency contraception. Emergency contraception is used by women to prevent pregnancy. A common emergency contraceptive is Plan B One- Step. This is a progestin pill recommended for women to take who have had unprotected sex or suspect contraceptive failure. Currently Plan B one step is available over the counter to any women over the age of 17. It can be prescribed to women younger than 17. I support a policy change to make it over the counter for women 14 and older because according to the CDC 44% of teenagers between the ages of 15-19 have had sex. Providing an easy access to emergency contraception to this vulnerable population is imperative in reducing teen pregnancies. As of 2017 the number of babies born to women between the ages of 15-19 was 194,377.

Landscape:

References:

About Teen Pregnancy. (2019, March 1). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/teenpregnancy/about/index.htm

Products – Data Briefs – Number 112 – February 2013. (2015, November 6). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db112.htm.

Products – Data Briefs – Number 209 – July 2015. (2015, November 6). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db209.htm.

Richter, G. (2009). Plan B One Step (levonogestrel) .  https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2009/021998lbl.pdf