NEW YORK, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Duramed said its emergency contraceptive Plan B will arrive in U.S. pharmacies this week and will be available without a prescription.
Duramed, a subsidiary of Barr, also launches its Convenient Access Responsible Education, or CARE, program to help educate consumers and healthcare professionals.
The Food and Drug Administration in August granted Plan B over-the-counter status for women 18 years of age and older. Plan B, which can be taken up to 72 hours after unprotected sex, can reduce the risk of pregnancy by 89 percent.
The drug will be kept behind the counter, and women will have to request it from a pharmacist.
Girls 17 and younger can still obtain Plan B by obtaining a prescription from a healthcare provider. In addition, nine states -- Alaska, California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Washington -- have passed legislation that allows girls to obtain the drug directly from pharmacists without getting a prescription.
