Public split on Plan B
Regardless of political party, Americans are almost evenly split on the question of whether women should be able to get Plan B over the counter, without a doctor's prescription, according to a new poll from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. But most--75 percent--say they've only heard a little or nothing at all about the debate. Nearly half have heard nothing about the controversy over allowing pharmacists to deny women the pill if the druggists have moral objections. Nevertheless, 80 percent think that's a bad idea.
Some people who want Plan B to be sold over the counter are doctors, members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and they are willing to write women an "advance" prescription to keep on hand in case something goes wrong with their first-line contraception, making access to Plan B a little easier, reports U.S. News health editor Bernadine Healy.
Perhaps the best solution is better first-line contraception. New developments should make these methods more reliable, avoiding any hassle associated with Plan B.
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