Judge orders day after pill avaiable to all ages

[Akasa]

Story here: http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/05/health...ill/index.html

[Greenday]

I can't wait for my conservative friends who just non-stop whine about liberals/Obama to find out about this. One guy just posts dumb memes about ten times a day bashing liberal ideals.

[Kheldarson]

I'm not going to touch the moral side of this argument. That belongs in a different section here anyway.

Can I just ask what happened to parental rights? I know a lot of parents seem to be giving them up, but this just seems wrong. It's a drug that's going to affect my child in a number of ways and I'm not supposed to be involved in her receiving it while I am responsible for her?

[siead_lietrathua]

it doesn't mean a lack of parental rights or responsibility. it just means if your 14 year old needs the morning after pill, you don't have to try to get to a clinic within a 24(ideal) to 72 hour period to get a prescription. i don't know many teens that would have the $50+ on them easily for that sort of emergency, not to mention the fees for a walk-in clinic if they needed a 'script as well. and the kids talked into taking it unknowingly part? if a kid can be talked into taking any drug where they don't know exactly what it is that's a parenting fail.
on the moral side? it only bothers me that people would only assume a teen would need plan b for failed contraception, when it may be because they were assaulted. i had that argument with my coworkers once when they were slut-bashing a teen customer in the lunchroom over plan-b

edit: i can see pharmacies still requiring a parent there for a kid under a certain age. we do it with a few products that don't require a 'script, like say cough syrup with codeine, or tylenol 3's

[KabeRinnaul]

This really seems like it should go beyond a judge's capacity to declare something like this. And isn't it the FDA's entire function to make determinations like that?

I'm also surprised there are no age restrictions on the purchase. Considering you have to be 18 to buy children's cough syrup, it just seems strange to allow someone of any age to buy hormone-based contraceptives. Especially an age group known for unstable hormones. On that note, I'm almost wondering if we should look out for a rise in STDs among teenagers. My memories of middle school aren't that old yet, and I definitely haven't forgotten how stupid pretty much everyone was. I'm mainly afraid the 13-17 age range is going to think they just got access to a magic no-consequences pill, and make even more bad decisions than usual.

[Panacea]

I'm not going to touch the moral side of this argument. That belongs in a different section here anyway.

Can I just ask what happened to parental rights? I know a lot of parents seem to be giving them up, but this just seems wrong. It's a drug that's going to affect my child in a number of ways and I'm not supposed to be involved in her receiving it while I am responsible for her?

It affects the child in one way: preventing fertilization of an egg by sperm. It's not a consistent dose, so it will have no real effect on hormones other than to prevent conception. That's it.

Minors are considered emancipated in matters of sex. I've run into this as a nurse: minor child comes to the ER with an STD or possible pregnancy and hasn't told Mom and Dad and doesn't want them to know. We treat them appropriately, and discuss the pros and cons of telling the parents. Often, I remind them that the parents WILL find out eventually that the kid was in the ER, and while we won't reveal why they were there, the parents may still figure it out anyway.

Still some kids are adamant, so we respect the law and their choices (good or bad).

I've had to argue with parents demanding to know why the kid was there; they weren't happy when I told them the law prohibited me from giving them that information: ask the kid. But there is nothing parents can do about this.

Personally, I think the parents should know, but I do also realize that some parents are so strict that the kid would literally be in harms way if they were told.

[HYHYBT]

And many others would fear their parents' reaction, even if unjustified, or just plain be too embarrassed to get treatment.

[BlaqueKatt]

It's a drug that's going to affect my child in a number of ways and I'm not supposed to be involved in her receiving it while I am responsible for her?

side effects of the "morning after pill" from the Mayo Clinic

Side effects of the morning-after pill typically last only a few days and may include:

Nausea or vomiting
Dizziness
Fatigue
Headache
Breast tenderness
Bleeding between periods or heavier menstrual bleeding
Lower abdominal pain or cramps
Diarrhea

nothing life threatening, and nothing worse than typical PMS really.

This really seems like it should go beyond a judge's capacity to declare something like this. And isn't it the FDA's entire function to make determinations like that?

It wasn't the FDA's doing, the FDA approved this in 2011, it was a decision by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the FDA was going to make it OTC, under the recommendation of medical professionals, Kathleen Sebelius, a politician with no medical training, stepped in an overruled the FDA.

For the first time ever, the Health and Human Services secretary publicly overruled the Food and Drug Administration, refusing Wednesday to allow emergency contraceptives to be sold over the counter, including to young teenagers.

I'm mainly afraid the 13-17 age range is going to think they just got access to a magic no-consequences pill, and make even more bad decisions than usual.

Then write your senator, congressman, and school board to require comprehensive sex education classes, so they know the consequences. Bad decisions come from a lack of knowledge, and ignorance of potential consequences.

[Ladeeda]

Not to mention they'd still need the $50 to get it.

I think it's a good idea. Something like daily BC pills are understandably prescription, since the side effects are so numerous and often severe. This morning after pill has fewer side effects than a laxative taken with a sleeping pill, both of which you can get at any CVS in the aisle.

I dont' see why parents have a right to know about their kid's sex life. Seems more like something you have a right to NOT know about. Educate the kid about risks, consequences, and prevention options [and consent], but if it's not going to affect them, the parent doesn't need to know.

And taking a morning after pill is preventing the kid's sex life from having an affect on their parents' via early grandchild.

And, as mentioned before, some parents would severely harm their daughter if they found out she was pregnant or having sex. In some years ago in a state where a girl's parents HAD to be told, the girl was beaten nearly to death and had a miscarriage because of it.

A relatively harmless pill seems a lot less hassle for the same result.

[BlaqueKatt]

And, as mentioned before, some parents would severely harm their daughter if they found out she was pregnant or having sex.

Sadly this is even true in cases of assault.

[Aethian]

In some years ago in a state where a girl's parents HAD to be told, the girl was beaten nearly to death and had a miscarriage because of it.

Back in 99 when I worked at a grocery store, we had this awesome cashier. Her whole family were war refugees. She was becoming an American teen wonderfully and had a awesome boyfriend. Well the 1% chance happened and she got pregnant. Her Father found out when her BF asked for her hand. She was then beaten and the Dad ran her over with his car. There should have been a media circus over it but the government quietly moved the family and the boyfriend. The family was important in their home country...

Every so often I think of her and the lack of justice she had.

[Peppergirl]

That's disgusting, Aethian. Poor dear.

[Panacea]

I once treated a young girl, about 15, whose father tried to run her over with a car because she complained to him that his friend was drunk and hitting on her at a family party. They were Pakistani; "honor killings" are very much a part of their culture.

That's a tip on the iceberg on what these cultures do to girls who get pregnant. And home grown Americans in some communities aren't any better.

There are very good reasons to control the flow of information about a kids sexual activities to their parents . . . some would rather punish their kids than guide them.