WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The Food and Drug Administration postponed a final decision Friday on allowing the morning-after pill to be sold over the counter in the United States.
FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford said in a statement the agency needs 60 days more to get public reaction, the New York Times reported.
"These are profound regulatory decisions that cut to the heart of our work," he said. "The answers to these questions can establish very broad and far-reaching policies that could have a significant effect on the way FDA regulates many different drugs."
The pill won FDA approval for prescription sales in 1999. The manufacturer, Barr Labs, reacted to Friday's decision by saying studies have shown that women over the age of 17 can use the pill without a doctor's guidance.
The morning-after pill, which prevents implantation of a fertilized egg, is controversial. Opponents say it, in effect, provides an early abortion -- while advocates argue the pill prevents both unwanted pregnancies and abortions.
