Challenge filed against court order permitting ‘Plan B’ for 17-year-olds

Jun 30, 2009 / 05:01 am

Several Christian and pro-life groups have filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit challenging a court order which requires the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to allow the “Plan B” drug to be sold over the counter to minors.

The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) filed a motion on behalf of Concerned Women for America, the Christian Medical and Dental Association and Christian Pharmacists Fellowship International. The groups say that the order disregards parental rights and the safety of minors.

On March 23 a federal court ordered the drug Levonorgestrel—also known as the “morning after pill” or “Plan B” --be made available to girls 17 and older without a prescription. The drug aims to prevent pregnancy when used within 24 hours of sexual intercourse.

Many doctors believe the drug can cause the abortion of a recently-conceived child by preventing its implantation on the uterine wall.

“The life and health of women, especially minors, is more important than the political agenda of pro-abortion activist groups. Minors are least of all in a position to make an informed decision about the life or death of a child, or even about their own safety. It is a lie that over-the-counter sales of this drug increase safety for women, including minors,” remarked ADF Legal Counsel Matt Bowman.

Bowman said the organizations seeking to intervene in the lawsuit represent “thousands of medical personnel” who will be affected by the court’s order and believe “strongly” that it will result in excluding parents and doctors from minor children’s care.

“The order allows minors to bypass being seen by a doctor who can check for sexually transmitted diseases and other potentially serious medical conditions,” Bowman added. “Our motion argues that the case should be dismissed because, under the law, the plaintiffs have not established sufficient reason that they can even ask for an order like this.”

In 2005 the pro-abortion group Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) successfully sued the FDA to force it to require Plan B be provided over the counter to women age 18 and older. A second suit by the CRR  resulted in the FDA lowering the age limit to 17 years-old and above.