With respect to the Plan B, I did not get involved in the process. This was a decision that was made by Kathleen Sebelius, the Secretary of HHS.
I will say this, as the father of two daughters. I think it is important for us to make sure that we apply some common sense to various rules when it comes to over-the-counter medicine. And as I understand it, the reason Kathleen made this decision was she could not be confident that a 10-year-old or an 11-year-old go into a drugstore, should be able — alongside bubble gum or batteries — be able to buy a medication that potentially, if not used properly, could end up having an adverse effect. And I think most parents would probably feel the same way.
So the expectation here is — I think it’s very important to understand that, for women, for those over 17, this continues to be something that you can go in and purchase from a drugstore. It has been deemed safe by the FDA. Nobody is challenging that. When it comes to 12-year-olds or 13-year-olds, the question is can we have confidence that they would potentially use Plan B properly. And her judgment was that there was not enough evidence that this potentially could be used improperly in a way that had adverse health effects on those young people.
President Obama’s full statement today on Plan B.
[big thank you to Melissa McEwan for the full transcript of today’s press conference]
It sucks just as much in full as in pieces. It’s just pure condescension and paternalism, which are two things reproductive rights advocates and scientists don’t need.
(via keepyourboehneroutofmyuterus)
“most parents would feel the same way”
Yeah, this isn’t about you, parents. This is about people who are under 17, who (if they need Plan B) are already in an incredibly shitty situation, and you are making it worse.
Because, for fuck’s sake, fine, you’re worried about 10 and 11 year olds? Great. I’m worried about the 16 year old, the morning after junior prom. Or the 13 year old who got in over her head, because you know what? The current generation of teenagers have had next to NO sex ed in school, has been fed loads of bullshit from just about every angle, but because they’re children, you think you’re entitled to make a decision for them. The FDA said there’s not a single medical reason to restrict the access of Plan B, but because you’re a fucking parent, you know better.
No you don’t. Stop thinking of them as children, start thinking of them as people.
(via cherrispryteaintsobrite)
Extra weak because, if having the drug “alongside bubble gum” is the main concern, just continue to keep it behind the pharmacy counter with the pseudoephedrine and remove the prescription requirement for girls under 17. Anyway there are drugs sold on the main floor of any drug store that are far more easy to abuse, ugh this whole thing is absurd.
(via cherrispryteaintsobrite)
