On Friday, the Daily Beast reported that the FDA had brought its description of the mechanism of action of emergency contraception in line with the latest scientific evidence. And there was much rejoicing. Turns out, reports of newfound scientific accuracy were wildly premature:
Contrary to a Daily Beast report posted Friday, the Food and Drug Administration did not change its description of how the morning-after pill and copper IUD work in its current birth-control guide. The confusion stemmed from the fact that two different versions of the same guide — which is designed to inform consumers on how all the various methods of birth control work — were available online.
In one version of the guide, the FDA said the morning-after pill and the copper IUD can prohibit an egg from implanting in the uterus after fertilization. This is significant because a number of religious groups, pro-life activists, and politicians view contraceptives that prevent implantation as the equivalent of an abortion. The FDA says this version of the guide is current, and was created in 2011.
The FDA is reconsidering the labeling in light of a blockbuster investigation by Pam Belluck of the New York Times.
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