NEWS FLASH

Sebelius: Decision To Limit Morning After Pill Was Not Political | HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius assured reporters today that her decision to overrule scientists at the Food and Drug Administration and prohibit the morning after bill from being available over the counter to women of all ages was not politically motivated and said that the manufacturer — Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd — could reapply for approval. “There are always opportunities for the company to come back with additional data,” Sebelius told reporters after the meeting, held at LaGuardia Community College in Queens. “Subsequent discussions can take place.” But Susan Wood, as assistant commissioner for women’s health at the FDA from 2000 to 2005, argued in today’s Washington Post that “Throughout this process, the science has been solid that the drug is safe and should be available to anyone who needs it.” She also asked why “worries about the use of medicines by teenagers, have not been applied to other products” “such as acetaminophen, and others with known and serious risks, over the counter.”