It’s been a year since the FDA was ordered by a judge to revisit its age restrictions related to the availability of Emergency Contraception. When the FDA (finally) granted Emergency Contraception over-the-counter (OTC) status, after years of foot-dragging and political posturing during the Bush administration, they limited access to those 17 years of age and older.  The Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) took the FDA to court and on March 23, 2009, a federal court agreed that, in fact, the FDA had:

“acted in bad faith and in response to political pressure” and ordered the agency to go back and revisit the age and behind-the-counter restrictions to emergency contraception.

In fact, says the CRR, there are no scientific grounds (even according to the FDA’s own review panel!) for denying OTC access to young women under 17 years of age. Now we’re closing in on one year later and the silence from the FDA is deafening. We are no closer to seeing a change in policy despite the federal ruling.

So the CRR has decided, as we near the Back Up Your Birth Control with EC Day (March 25th), to see if cute bunnies might persuade the FDA to make a move. 

What do you think?

Tell the FDA to Act on Emergency Contraception from Center for Reproductive Rights on Vimeo.

You can take action here.