The following is a column by Sr. Mary Ann Walsh, Director of Media Relations at the USCCB:
Health and Human Services (HHS) acted to protect kids Dec. 7 when HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius rejected a recommendation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to let stores sell powerful hormonal drugs to children over the counter.
Promoters of contraceptives immediately criticized this decision about Plan B-One Step, a morning-after pill and mega-dose of contraceptives, and by definition pretty strong medicine. To their mind, anything that curtails the maximum distribution of contraceptive even to minor children use must be wrong, common sense aside. The FDA wanted the medicine available over-the-counter to anyone who could get pregnant, which would include pre-teens. There seems to be no consideration that a medicine designed for adult women can have a completely different effect on a child. For example, adult anti-depressants and psychotropic drugs that may help adults with depression are known to create suicidal thoughts in teens.
