Sales of the emergency contraceptive Plan B, which can prevent pregnancy if taken up to 72 hours after intercourse, have increased from about $40 million annually to an expected $80 million for 2007, according to Barr Laboratories, the drug's maker, the Washington Post reports. Barr would not release the actual number of Plan B units sold, the Post reports (Stein, Washington Post, 7/13).

FDA in August 2006 approved Barr's application to allow nonprescription sales of the Plan B for women age 18 and older. The approval of the application requires the company to monitor the effectiveness of the age restriction. Barr has agreed to send "anonymous shoppers" into pharmacies to test compliance with the age restriction, distribute a booklet about its proper use and exclude gas stations and convenience stores from selling the drug (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 4/13). The Family Research Council and several other groups are suing FDA to reverse the Plan B decision, while the Center for Reproductive Rights is suing FDA to remove the age restriction for nonprescription access.

According to the Post, EC also is the focus of "intense debate" on whether Roman Catholic hospitals or pharmacists who have moral objections to the drug's use should be required to dispense it. Fourteen states require hospitals to provide women information about EC, and at least 19 other states are considering similar measures, the Post reports.

According to the Post, Barr has advertised the drug, which sells for about $50, in women's magazines. More than 54,000 pharmacists have completed an education program about the drug.

Reaction
"The impetus for us wanting Plan B to be made available over the counter was to increase women's access to the product," Amy Niemann, Barr's senior vice president of proprietary marketing, said. She added, "Even with this interim step, it appears that has enabled more women to have access. That's the good news."

According to the Post, the increase in sales of Plan B has been lauded by women's health and family planning advocates, but some conservative groups say they are concerned about the rise in use of the drug. "This is exactly what we hoped would happen," Susan Wood, a research professor at George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services and former director of FDA's Office of Women's Health, said, adding, "What we're seeing is women who needed this product now finally having access to it." Charmaine Yoest, vice president of external relations for the FRC , said, "We think this is putting women's health at risk" (Washington Post, 7/13).

24% of Nassau County Pharmacists Lack EC Knowledge, Survey Says
In related news, a recent telephone survey found that 24% of pharmacists in Nassau County, N.Y., lack basic knowledge about EC, including the drug's effects on the body and policies on distributing pills, Long Island Newsday reports. Planned Parenthood of Nassau County and a coalition of advocacy groups called Save Our Services Long Island for the survey questioned 176 pharmacists in the county.

Fifty-two percent of Nassau pharmacists could technically describe EC, but fewer than half of those could fully explain the drug's effects. According to the survey, 5% of pharmacists confused EC with the drug mifepristone, which is taken in combination with the drug misoprostol to induce a medical abortion up to 49 days' gestation. About 25% of the respondents were unsure whether their pharmacies had policies regarding distribution of the drugs, the survey found.

"I was surprised at the lack of knowledge of pharmacists," JoAnn Smith, president and CEO of PPNC, said. "It's disappointing," Craig Burridge -- executive director of Pharmacists Society of the State of New York, a not-for-profit that represents local pharmacists -- said, adding that all pharmacists should not be held to the same standard (Hernandez, Long Island Newsday, 7/12).

NBC's "Nightly News" on Friday reported on Plan B sales. The segment includes comments from Vanessa Cullins, vice president of medical affairs at Planned Parenthood Federation of America; Charmaine Yost of the Family Research Council; and a woman who has taken the drug (Bazell, "Nightly News," NBC, 7/13). Video of the complete program is available online.