As someone who’s cared passionately about safe, effective, accessible, affordable contraception since the 1960s (when I was very young) I’m pretty happy the FDA has finally approved Plan B.

For what it’s worth, though, I didn’t much care for the (no-doubt FDA-scripted) remark that the decision “put an end to a three-year-old controversy.” And end?

Yes, semantically Over The Counter drugs properly need to be behind the counter before they can be handed over it, but as long as the regs say it must be behind the counter and available only from on-duty pharmacists then I don’t think anything has been brought “to an end.”

And never mind that pharmacists who object for daft, pointless reasons won’t have to carry it.

And never mind that the pharmacist restriction means it can’t be sold in non-pharmacies like grocery and convenience stores.

And never mind that it’s not going to be available to teens.

And really never mind the “money shot” quote I kept hearing on NPR from some red-winger woman claiming the decision had been politicized by “abortion activists” who were “sacrificing women’s health on the alter of abortion.”

That said, it’s still a big, important milestone. There’s just still a lot more to be done.

(By the way I think this is proof that the Reds are worried about November and they’re backpedalling on the really egregious stuff like this in order to obsure the fact that they’re further to the right than Osama bin Laden on women’s issues.)

[Note. Originally posted as a comment on Being Amber Rhea. Hat tip to Amber. —fl]