(Reuters) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday changed the label for the emergency contraception known as Plan B One-Step to make clear that the pill does not alter the course of an existing pregnancy.
In an updated question-and-answer section on its website, the FDA asked, “Is Plan B One-Step an abortifacient (causing abortion)” and answered by saying “No.”
The consumer information leaflet distributed with Plan B One-Step, which has been available over the counter for everyone since 2013, includes updated information on its mechanism of action. It explains that Plan B One-Step works before the release of an egg from the ovary and as a result, usually stops or delays the release of an egg.
Contraception has come under renewed scrutiny in the United States after the Supreme Court in June overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that recognized the constitutional right to an abortion and legalized it nationwide.
(Reporting by Raghav Mahobe; Editing by Josie Kao)
