If the condom breaks or the pill gets left in the drawer, some people like to have a Plan B.
A guideline issued Thursday by the Food and Drug Administration allows women 18 years and older to buy the Plan B emergency contraceptive over the counter nationwide. And the decision has left Chico State's Student Health Center staff discussing how they will distribute the drug to students, said Dr. Jeff Thomas, chief of clinical medicine at the Student Health Center.
"The decision is so new that we haven't had a chance to decide whether this is something we'll provide over-the-counter or not," Thomas said.
The Student Health Center offers Plan B to students for $12.70 per dose on a prescription basis, Thomas said.
Because there are minors who attend Chico State, the situation becomes difficult. Unlike Plan B, most over-the-counter drugs do not have an age restriction, Thomas said.
If taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex, Plan B, or "the morning after pill," can prevent pregnancy in one of three ways: It can delay ovulation, prevent an egg from being fertilized or stop a fertilized egg from implanting on the lining of the uterus, Thomas said.
Plan B is not an abortion pill because the definition of pregnancy is when a fertilized egg implants itself on the lining of the uterus, Thomas said.
The age restriction concerns Lucy Yanow, program coordinator for the A.S. Women's Center.
"It's all about politics," Yanow said. "The government is trying to legislate kids who are under 18 from having sex."
It is important for people to become more educated about sex, and the morality issue on sex should be set aside from the debate with a better focus on women's health, Yanow said.
Sophomore Kelley Chandler did a report on emergency contraceptives for a class last year and thinks Plan B is a good idea.
"It should be available as a backup in case other things fail," Chandler said. "But it should not be used as the only form of contraceptive."
California has offered Plan B - even to minors without a prescription - since 2001, but access to the drug has been limited because only certified pharmacists can prescribe the drug, said Luann Ciccone, center director for Planned Parenthood in Chico.
"We are very fortunate in California," Ciccone said. "But access can be an issue, and some places charge between $50 and $150 for the pills."
Planned Parenthood Shasta-Diablo has offered Plan B since the FDA approved it on a prescription-only basis in 1999, Ciccone said. Those who qualify for Medi-Cal or Family PACT can receive the pills at Planned Parenthood for little or no cost. For those who do not qualify, one dose is $21 plus the cost of the office visit, Ciccone said.
"We feel it is a very important option for women," she said.
Mike Murphy can be reached at
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