Medicare to Cover Viagra, While Bush Administration Continues to Block Women's Access to Morning-After Pill

To: National Desk
Contact: Ted Miller of NARAL Pro-Choice America, 202-973-3032

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 /U.S. Newswire/ -- NARAL Pro-Choice America, the nation's leading advocate for personal privacy and a woman's right to choose, said Americans are outraged that the Bush Administration will allow Medicare to cover prescriptions for sexual⁠ (sexual: About or relating in some way to sex or sexuality.) enhancement drugs such as Viagra while blocking efforts to give women access to emergency contraceptives that would reduce the need for abortion⁠ (abortion: A procedure to intentionally end a pregnancy before a birth. Miscarriage is also sometimes called "spontaneous abortion," even though it is usually not intended.) .

Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, issued the following statement: "Americans opened their newspapers today to read yet another example of the Bush Administration not giving women's reproductive health needs equal treatment. The president is willing to allow coverage of Viagra under Medicare, but his FDA continues to delay a decision on whether women can have access to Plan B⁠ (Plan B: A brand of emergency contraception pill.) , a morning- after pill, from their pharmacies."

"Despite overwhelming support for the pill⁠ (the pill: A common term for birth control pills/oral contraceptives. A hormonal medication used to prevent unwanted pregnancy.) 's safety and effectiveness⁠ (effectiveness: How well something works.) from medical experts and the Food and Drug Administration's own staff, the Bush Administration blocked such access last year. Because the FDA is now considering another petition, it has an excellent opportunity to prevent unintended pregnancy⁠ (pregnancy: The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the uterus. Medically, someone is considered to be pregnant when an egg has been fertilized by sperm, cells divide, and the fertilized egg is implanted within the lining of the uterus.) and reduce the need for abortion."

"Today's news is especially disturbing to women in this country who either do not have their prescription birth control⁠ (birth control: Any number of methods people use to intentionally prevent unwanted pregnancy, including the condom, the cervical barrier, the implant, the patch, the pill, the rhythm method, the ring, the shot, the IUD, spermicide and withdrawal.) covered by their health insurance or face the prospect of their pharmacists refusing to fill these prescriptions. We call on the Bush White House to drop its opposition to the morning-after pill to ensure that women have equitable access to prescriptions for their reproductive health. This issue isn't about Viagra; it is about fairness and equality."

Bear in mind that when Medicare DOES cover even standard birth conrol pills, it is generally only if they can be prescribed for "health reasons." (As if contraception⁠ (contraception: Devices, medications or behaviors used to intentionally aim to prevent pregnancy, including the condom, the cervical barrier, the implant, the patch, the pill, the rhythm method, the ring, the shot, the IUD, spermicide and withdrawal.) and avoiding unplanned pregnancy had nothing to do with women's health.) So, the message is pretty crystal: our government feels male sexual enjoyment is not only something we should all pay for (and boy howdy, don't we do so enough already in so many ways?), but that it is more important than women's sexual health, sexual autonomy⁠ (autonomy: The state or condition of being independent and/or having the right to independence.) and general well-being.

Quelle surprise.

(Original comments to this entry⁠ (entry: In a sexual context, when a kind of sex involves someone putting one body part inside the body part of another person, such as with intercourse. Some people use the word "penetration" instead.) can be found here.)