Plan B OTC?

OTC Plan B? It was not to be. [Sorry, couldn't resist.]

Today was the day the government was to issue its pronouncement about Plan B: would discriminatory, age-restricted OTC sales of Barr's emergency contraceptive be allowed? Despite Barr's obligatory optimism, not any time soon according to this report:

WASHINGTON - The government has delayed a decision about whether to allow women to buy the morning-after birth control pill over the counter but hopes to act soon, the manufacturer said Friday.

...

Under federal guidelines, the FDA had aimed to have a decision by Friday. But Barr Pharmaceuticals said in a statement Friday that the FDA told the company it was unable to complete its review by then.

"The company remains optimistic that the agency will approve Plan B for OTC sale," Barr said.

The statement said the FDA indicated that "it is committed to completing its review of the application in the near future."

Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said, "I certainly hope FDA's decision isn't motivated by political considerations three days before President Bush (news - web sites)'s supporters stage their annual anti-choice protest in Washington."

Take a moment to reflect how much the situation has deteriorated when the possibility that the timing of political and religious events is a plausible (and, may I add, likely) explanation for the FDA's decision to delay OTC sales of Plan B.