A federal judge has ruled that the Food and Drug Administration must allow females of all ages over-the-counter access to the morning-after pill.
The New York judge’s ruling overturns a decision from Health and Human Services Secretary Kathless Sebelius to limit the pill by prescription to females only above age 17, CNN reported.
Critics of the HHS policy said requiring a prescription added too many hours to the process.
The emergency contraceptive pill stops fertilized eggs from taking root in the uterus — effectively halting the pregnancy, CNN said. The pills are supposed to be effective if taken up to 72 hours after sex, but should really be taken within 24 hours.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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