title: Emergency contraception: a reasonable personal choice or a destructive societal influence?
abstract: A 2003 petition to the US Food and Drug Administration by the manufacturer to move levonorgestrel emergency contraception from prescription status to over-the-counter sale embroiled the Agency in politics and remains controversial in some circles. This essay addresses the current remaining main points of contoversy about the medication and the Agency's decision.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. mfgreene@partners.org
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Greene
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000941:ethics; D044363:Contraception, Postcoital / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods*; D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007880:Legislation, Drug / Q000941:ethics; D016912:Levonorgestrel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009014:Morals; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D010060:Ovulation / Q000187:drug effects; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011247:Pregnancy; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration; D016387:Women's Health
chemical_list: D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D016912:Levonorgestrel