The Food and Drug Administration announced that it would delay by 90 days its decision on over-the-counter (OTC) status for the emergency contraceptive Plan B (the decision was originally expected on February 20th). The FDA claims it needs more time to evaluate the use of Plan B, despite the recommendations of the FDA’s own expert panel that Plan B should be approved for over-the-counter status without a prescription. As a national campus movement, we’ve worked together to garner support for and awareness about EC, including collecting over 34,000 petitions last year and delivered them to the FDA at a hearing last December.
Emergency action is needed now!
With your help we can again show public support and the need for Emergency Contraception to be made available over-the-counter without a doctor’s prescription and send a message to the FDA that it cannot play politics with women’s lives.
We urge you to stage an event on campus to celebrate Back Up Your Birth Control Day, http://www.feministcampus.org/act/prescribechoice/backupBC.asp , on or near March 22nd. Make sure the campus newspaper and radio station cover your event to help spread the word that EC is in danger! Copy large quantities of the enclosed EC-OTC petition and pass them around at every event your group organizes–use every opportunity you have to collect signatures of support for this effort. Take petitions to other events, including Women’s History Month events, feminist lectures, women’s sporting events, Take Back the Night rallies, and any other progressive event to shore up support for EC-OTC. Students can also take action online and send a message to the FDAÑuse the enclosed EC Palm Cards artwork to make copies to distribute and encourage people to go online to http://www.prescribechoice.org .
Finally, we’ve produced special pre-recorded 30 and 60-second radio Public Service Announcements for education around Emergency Contraception featuring feminist celebrities Amy Brenneman (creator and executive producer of Judging Amy), Camryn Manheim (“The Practice”), and Lisa Gay Hamilton (“The Practice”)! Ask your campus or community radio station to play them.
Download them online at http://www.feministcampus.org/act/prescribechoice/backupBC.asp , or ask a campus organizer for a copy to give to your radio station, mailto:campusteam@feminist.org.
Use these resources and join other pro-choice groups and FMLA’s for a nationwide “Back Up Your Birth Control” Day and help increase awareness, education and access to Emergency Contraception. Call a Campus Organizer 866-471-3652 or email us, mailto:campusteam@feminist.org, for ideas or with any questions about the Campaign. Together, we have the power to show public support for EC!
