Taboo Tablet - the Morning-After Pill

Election 2008 views on abortion have been addressed and debated by every political candidate. However, many may not have address a little known "Taboo Tablet" called the Morning-After Pill or Plan B. The Morning-After Pill is an emergency contraception that is taken the day after failed contraceptives or unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy. So, if this Morning-After Pill prevents pregnancy, is it abortion?

Britain and some Western countries consider this pill to be a non-abortion causing drug. The process of the pill is to prevent eggs from releasing into the ovaries and alter the uterus womb so that fertilized eggs don't embed themselves. This pill will not work if a person is already pregnant and has managed to achieve one of the processes listed above. So, by definition, the pill sounds like a regular birth control pill. Or, is it?

So who uses this Morning-After Pill? The Plan B pill is used by women who have been victims of rape, partners whose condom has broken and women who have been under the influence of alcohol or drugs and lured to have intercourse. But, who is to say that a pill that is made readily available to females of all ages will not be used as a regular form of birth control? Would this be mentally and physically healthy? When does the purpose of its use cross the line?

Astonishingly, the Morning-After Pill has been made available to family planning clinics, university and college health centers and youth advisory clinics. You can even buy the pill over the counter at pharmacies. All of which are done discreetly. Some of which don't require doctor's prescriptions.

Now, you're probably thinking that this pill is only offered in the UK or Western Countries and you would be wrong. This pill is offered right here in the United States of America. There are several websites that offer the option to put in your local zip code to get great list of clinics, doctors or pharmacies that offer this quick fix contraceptive.

I have two observations to point out from my research. I observed that the current regulation of the pill's prescription: 1) does not take into consideration of the age of those requesting the pill or its parental control there of, nor does it 2) offer thorough examinations to diagnose other possible health concerns such as sexually transmitted diseases. For instance, if a young girl under the age of 18 walks into a pharmacy and there is no parental consent or physical examination, if this is acceptable then what is its' true purpose? There have been numerous lawsuits against the FDA in response to the issue or non-issue of a doctor required prescription for the pill. It further acknowledges age as a factor of whether or not a prescription is needed. This pills controversial nature has put doctors against pharmacist, drug stores against state regulators, and states against federal government.

It appears that state regulations set their own guidelines, whether morally sound or not. Abortion is a very important political issue however; the introduction and use of the Morning-After Pill or Plan B should be handled with more controlled and government regulation. Its' long-term effects could become more harmful to society rather than identified as sound preventive measures.