Griper Blade: White House Makes Bad Call on Plan B

Imagine if flu shots at pharmacies became a political football. People should
not have easy access to flu vaccinations, because that only encourages risky
behavior like riding in elevators or mass transit, going to public places like
shopping malls, and having unnecessary contact with children. If we didn’t allow
people easy access to flu vaccines, we wouldn’t be "rewarding" people who engage
in this sort of risky behavior. With a more cautious population, the spread of
influenza would actually decrease and America would be a better and healthier
place because of it.



Right about now, you’re thinking that’s just crazy.
And you’re right. Easy access to flu vaccines doesn’t encourage behaviors that
lead to getting sick. In fact, pharmacy flu shots reduce the number of hospital stays by American children and
does the same for people over fifty. The flu shot at the
corner pharmacy doesn’t harm society, it helps it. I don’t imagine you’re very
surprised. This is all very common sense and entirely predictable. The argument
that easy access to flu vaccines leads to unhealthy behavior and an increase in
flu cases is absurd on it’s face.



It’s also the logic behind
this:

Wonkblog, Washington Post: The Justice Department
filed notice late Wednesday that it will challenge a federal court decision
requiring the government to make emergency contraceptives available over the
counter to women of all ages.



The move came hours after the Food and Drug
Administration approved
over-the-counter sales of emergency contraceptives to women 15 and older.
Previously, Plan B was available to teenagers younger than 17 only with a
prescription. Older women had to request it from a pharmacist.



The Obama
administration also asked the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of New
York to stay Judge Edward Korman’s early-April ruling, which is set to take
effect Sunday.

“We are deeply disappointed that just days
after President Obama proclaimed his commitment to women’s reproductive rights,
his administration has decided once again to deprive women of their right to
obtain emergency contraception without unjustified and burdensome restrictions,”
Center for Reproductive Rights President Nancy Northup, who represents the
defendants, said...[CLICK TO READ FULL POST]