USCCB opposes proposal for over-the-counter emergency contraception

Published: 2003-12-08

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The Food and Drug Administration should reject a proposal to change the status of emergency contraceptives from prescription-only to available over the counter, according to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. In comments filed with the FDA Dec. 5, the conference's general counsel, Mark Chopko, listed six reasons why the bishops object to the proposal to change the prescription category of levonorgestrel-only emergency contraception, known as EC in the documents. The FDA has scheduled Dec. 16 meetings of two of its advisory committees to consider the reclassification. It invited written comments before the meeting of the Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee and the Advisory Committee for Reproductive Health Drugs.

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