(U-WIRE) DAVIS, Calif. – Women across the country may have more contraceptive options if Plan B — “the morning-after pill” — is legalized for over-the-counter sales.

After years of consideration and extensive debates about whether this legalization is in the best interest of women across the country, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is considering making emergency contraceptives available to young women.

On July 31, the FDA began negotiating with Durmed, a subsidiary of Barr Pharmaceuticals, over the issue of providing emergency contraceptives to women age 18 and older without a prescription.

A comprehensive array of scientific research and public policy assessment has grounded the FDA to a halt in deciding whether they wish to work with pharmaceutical companies in order to establish a framework that stabilizes supplying access to safe and effective medicines and ensures policies are in place that will promote such medications’ management.

Plan B contains a high dose of regular birth control and is usually taken within 72 hours of intercourse to help prevent unplanned pregnancies.

Currently, women can obtain the pill as long as they have a prescription from their doctor, a local health center or public women’s health agency such as Planned Parenthood. In California, women can already obtain the pill without a prescription.

Ana Sandoval, communications director at Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, said Planned Parenthood was one of several organizations that previously ran and passed legislation giving women in the state access to emergency contraception. She said Planned Parenthood supports the idea of legalizing over-the-counter sale of Plan B.

“The important question to ask is if you spend all day [on a hypothetical] Sunday looking for a prescription,” Sandoval said. “Having easy access is beneficial because it’s more effective. We don’t want women to have to wait too long before they can use the contraceptive, and this FDA issue would allow women to have access sooner.”

Polly Paulson, educator at the Health Education and Promotion office in the Cowell Student Health Center, said UC Davis students have easy access to the pill. She also said it’s important to assess the timing of a possible pregnancy, as the drug is only effective up to 120 hours after sex.

“If a student has a concern and thinks they are at risk for an unwanted pregnancy, they can contact the advice nurse and speak with her over the phone,” Paulson said. “They can have the prescription ordered on the phone and filled at the health center pharmacy or at another pharmacy.”

The FDA hopes to come to a conclusion over this topic in a few weeks. According to a press release, the FDA’s acting commissioner Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach said he believes “resolving this public health issue is an important step in moving the agency’s broad and critical agenda forward.”

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