Join NWHN and Sign the Petition to Support Teen Access to Emergency Contraception Without ID

Dear Friends,

One year ago on Friday, Secretary of Health & Human
Services Kathleen Sebelius overruled the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and
directed that the age restriction on non-prescription emergency contraception
should be maintained.
You joined me then in expressing outrage and disappointment about the
terrible precedent, which undermines the scientific integrity of the drug
approval process, and about the terrible policy, which imposes a medically
unjustified barrier on a safe and effective contraceptive method.

On the anniversary of
that EC Outrage, I’m asking you to join me again in urging Secretary Sebelius
to revisit the evidence and remove the restriction. You can do that right now by signing
this petition.

A year later, we know with
even greater certainty how the Sebelius restriction undermines timely access
to emergency contraception (EC) for women of all ages. Requiring
those who want to buy EC to show government-issued proof of age puts a barrier
in the path of any woman who can’t get to a store during the hours that the
pharmacy counter is open. It also restricts access for any woman,
regardless of her age, who doesn’t have a government-issued form of
identification.

If there were a good reason
to restrict adolescent access to EC, it might be reasonable to accept reduced
access for other women. But scientists, doctors and parents all agree that there isn’t! FDA scientists have examined the evidence and found
that EC is safe and effective for over-the-counter distribution for women of
all ages. The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement last week
urging pediatricians to advocate for non-prescription access to EC for
teenagers regardless of age. And a recent pilot program conducted by the
New York City Department of Health indicates that parents overwhelmingly
support teen access to EC.

Add your voice to theirs – and to mine – and tell Secretary Sebelius, it’s time to fix this mistake. Sign
the petition to remove restrictions on emergency contraception today!

Thank you,

Cindy Pearson

Executive Director