President Obama said on Thursday he “did not get involved” in the decision to prevent young girls from buying the controversial morning-after “Plan B” pill in drug stores. He told reporters at the White House the decision was made by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. But he gave it his full backing despite criticism from women’s health activists.
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“As the father of two daughters, I think it is important for us to make sure that we apply some common sense to various rules when it comes to over-the-counter medicine,” Obama said. He said Sebelius “could not be confident that a 10-year-old or an 11-year-old going to a drugstore should be able, alongside bubble gum or batteries, be able to buy a medication that potentially, if not used properly, could end up having an adverse effect.”
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He added that he thinks “most parents would probably feel the same way.”
To the critics, Obama stressed that “for those over 17 this continues to be something that you can go in and purchase from a drugstore. It has been deemed safe by the FDA."
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