Plan B

In the years ahead, Advocates will continue to be a dynamic leader in promoting the rights of youth to information, education, and services. I am deeply committed to our current, innovative work expanding adolescent access to contraception domestically and internationally; fighting homophobia in schools and communities across the United States; and using our policy work on the Hill and with the administration to advance the goals of our state and local partners.

One of the most difficult things to do is tell a friend that we are disappointed or upset with them, but that is what we are doing here today.

Sadly, only about a quarter of the relevant agencies have developed scientific integrity policies as required under White House guidelines and publicly released them.

To the FDA, the evidence is clear: Plan B is safe for women of all ages. Yet in a dangerous precedent, the Secretary overturned the decision based on pseudo-scientific concerns about misuse among younger adolescents.

Dr. Susan Wood discusses the recent misuse of science and data as part of the decision by the Secretary of HHS to overrule the scientific determination by the FDA Commissioner on bringing Plan B fully over the counter.

"As doctors, we prescribe and recommend Plan B to adolescents and adults, knowing it is safer than Tylenol and many other products sold on drugstores' open shelves."

Chris Mooney discusses the implications of the HHS decision on Plan B. Highlights from the Personhood USA presidential forum, and a report on how the economy is keeping people stuck in bad marriages.

Follow Amanda Marcotte on Twitter, @amandamarcotte

Irin Carmon talks about the year in abortion rights, 2011. The fallout from Plan B continues, and the sexting hysteria was built on smoke and mirrors.

Follow Amanda Marcotte on Twitter, @amandamarcotte

We cannot let the Democrats, let our president, lose sight of what this decades-old debate about access to all forms of reproductive healthcare is really about; that is, for women to have any sort of autonomy and self-determination within our society. 

The year was a frantic one in the fight over reproductive rights, but what was really remarkable was how anti-choicers quit pretending to simply love fetuses, and wage all-out war on women's non-abortion reproductive rights. 

Follow Amanda Marcotte on Twitter, @amandamarcotte