"Morning After" Pill Approved for Over-the-Counter Sale

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. - Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. said the FDA has approved the over-the-counter sale of Plan B, an emergency contraceptive that was originally sold as a prescription drug.

Barr Pharmaceuticals said on Aug. 24 that its Plan B (levonorgestrel) "morning after" pill will be sold over-the-counter to consumers 18 years of age and older. Consumers 17 years of age and younger will still need to obtain the emergency contraceptive via a doctor's prescription, the manufacturer said.

Taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse, Plan B has been shown to reduce the risk of pregnancy by 89 percent after …