News

Jun 8, 2010

EllaOneThe newest "oral emergency contraception," ellaOne, will be the subject of a hearing this month before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).



In October 2009, ellaOne (ulipristal acetate) became commercially available in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Developed by HRA Pharma, the "new generation" contraceptive reportedly is effective up to five days after unprotected sex. The most widely used abortion pill -- known as "Plan B" in the U.S. -- has a three-day effectiveness period.



Wendy Wright of Concerned Women for America (CWA) tells OneNewsNow ellaOne is being considered a new "morning-after pill" -- and she has several reservations about it.

"There are serious problems with this," she contends. "The drug itself is very similar to RU-486 -- the abortion drug -- and yet the FDA is considering making something that has already proven to be very dangerous for women...even easier to obtain, something that could be as easy to get as a morning-after pill...."

Wendy WrightShe goes on to explain that ellaOne, which is being peddled as a morning-after pill, would combine the worst factors of both drugs.

"There have not been studies done to find out what happens to women who use it multiple times, or what happens to a baby that may survive the use of this drug," she reports. "It may end up causing birth defects on the baby."

The European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use studied the drug and admits they have no solid information on how the drug would affect women who do get pregnant. That same agency also confesses they have no data showing whether ellaOne could lead to cancer.

Wright believes the FDA is acting irresponsibly in prematurely moving forward with the medication.