Obama Says He Backs Morning-After Pill Restrictions for Teens
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President Barack Obama today backed his health secretary’s decision to overrule U.S. drug regulators and deny Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.’s request to sell its emergency contraceptive pill Plan B over the counter.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius ordered Margaret Hamburg, the Food and Drug Administration chief, to reject the application by Petach Tikva, Israel-based Teva, citing potential sales to girls younger than age 17. Hamburg said she was ready yesterday to approve sales of Plan B One-Step without a prescription to women of all ages based on “science-based evidence.” The FDA said it was the first time HHS has overruled an agency approval.