MSNBC is reporting that the FDA could soon move the Morning After Pill (Plan B) to "Over The Counter" status. They're framing this in terms of Andrew von Eschenbach's Senate Confirmation hearing to become permanent head of the FDA, and that it's likely being used to get von Eschenbach through the committee, where Hillary Clinton and Patty Murray had threatened to block him had Plan B not been approved for OTC use.
However, it seems that there are some caveats. First, it sounds like it's going to be 18+ only. Also, it would be over the counter, but behind the counter... this part seems particularly weird, though. I mean, that's definitely going to be a major deterrent in people who need it getting it, particularly if a pharmacist averse to giving it to someone looking for the pill begins berating them over getting it. Hopefully someone can enlighten me more on that end, but if this does go through, it would be a major step forward and at least a victory of some form.
I also don't know much about von Eschenbach, but this sounds like it's going to be big. I'm waiting for it to get up on MSNBC, and once it's on, I'll update.
UPDATE OK... it looks like Reuters has something up. I'm trying to figure this whole thing out, but US Health regulators are going to meet with Barr Pharmaceuticals about making Plan B OTC. I (and MSNBC) may have been a little jumpy on our analysis, becaus the guy they were talking to was very insistent that the OTC status may be iminent because of Clinton and Murray's blocking of von Eschenbach. We'll see, but it's still a major move forward.
CNN now has one up.