'Ella' Emergency Contraception Approved by FDA

Good news for American women, as the FDA has finally given approval to Ella, a drug which can be taken up to five days past unprotected sex, and which will (in some as-yet undetermined manner) prevent pregnancy. I say "prevent" because it's not at all clear exactly how the pill works - whether it's by preventing implantation of a fertilized egg, or by some other method. The chemical is related to that of RU-486, but is not the same one.

It is said to be more effective than Plan B (currently available OTC in the US), but is a prescription medication at the present time. I'm sure it'll only be a short time before Obama's Bipartisan Wankery Strategy Committee comes up with some useful and totally-not-partisan-at-all way of restricting women's access.

Under the "We have to give time to the people who think the world is flat too" principle, the article includes a quote from Ladies Against Women Concerned Women for America, an organization which strives to take away women's choices and bodily autonomy. I won't bother to quote them, because they've got nothing new to say, just the usual hazy ideas that someone's holy anthology is totes against it, even though it never mentions the matter, and they never actually explain why we should have to live by their holy anthology's rules anyhow.

As Liss said of the same group a couple of months back, speaking of the same drug:

If Wright (CC: head of CWA) were really concerned about women, and of course she isn't, she would support making available every option for women to terminate unwanted pregnancies, which include those caused by partner abuse.

Can't say it better than that.

Tip of the CaitieCap to Shaker thesensitivepharmacist for the link.