Meet Ella, The Highly Effective Morning-After Pill Available in 44 Countries, But Not the U.S.
Women in 44 countries around the world have access to a novel new emergency contraception pill called Ella. The FDA is reviewing the new drug, but will American women ever gain access to it?
The FDA is reviewing the new new emergency contraceptive, commonly known as Ella, for approval in the United States. The European pill, which prevents pregnancy up to 120 hours after unprotected sex, has already been approved in 44 countries. And while some conservative groups in the U.S. are already protesting the drug, women's health advocates like Christiane Northrup, M.D., hopes it will pass through the approval process quickly. "The number one predictor of a woman's status worldwide is whether or not she has dominion over her fertility," she writes.
Northrup provides some details on the drug: "[It] is comprised of ulipristal acetate, an antiprogesterone drug that prevents pregnancy by delaying ovulation," she says. "Though ulipristal acetate has similarities in chemical action to mifepristone--also known as RU 486--it is not intended for use as contraception or as a method of terminating an ongoing pregnancy. Clinical trials of both Plan B and Ella, published recently in the Lancet, showed that Ella prevented twice as many unwanted pregnancies as Plan B."
We'll be keeping an eye on this for you, and will report back with news.
Tell me, what are your thoughts on the new pill?
