Women in the U.S., unlike their counterparts in the UK and other countries, will still be denied easy access to the 'morning after' contraceptive pill, Plan B, after a decision by the Food and Drug Administration to yet again delay ruling on over-the-counter sales.
The ruling has again evoked claims that the repeated delays are motivated by politics rather than science.
According to FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford, the drug creates "unique regulatory issues", in how to retain a prescription requirement for girls younger than 17, while giving access for older women.
The FDA will apparently accept public comments for 60 days, but Crawford will not predict when a decision will be made.
Drug company Barr Pharmaceuticals has requested the right to sell the product, Plan B, to females 16 and older without a prescription.
The FDA said its scientists supported safe, over-the-counter use by women 17 and older.
The preparation Plan B pills contain higher doses of progestin, which is one of the hormones used in birth-control pills; women are advised to take two tablets 12 hours apart.
Many groups, including reproductive rights groups, say easier access would help women get the pills in time following a rape or broken condom, leading to fewer abortions, while Conservative opponents claim that wider availability would lead to more promiscuity and sexually transmitted diseases.
Kirsten Moore, president of the Reproductive Health Technologies Project accuses the FDA of continually procrastinating and says there there is no way to ensure underage girls would not get the pills and "that this is the end of it".
But the group, Concerned Women for America (CWA), a conservative group that opposes over-the-counter sales, has welcomed the FDA decision.
Wendy Wright, CWA's senior policy director, says it is naive to assume any over-the-counter scheme for the morning-after pill would be effective, as a 17-year-old could buy it for a 13-year-old girl, or worse yet, a pedophile could purchase this drug for his victims.
Democrat Senators Patty Murray of Washington and Hillary Clinton of New York, have accused the Bush administration officials of breaking a promise to rule on Plan B by September 1.
Both Murray and Clinton agreed to drop objections to a vote on Crawford's nomination as FDA commissioner because of that pledge.