Join us on the national day of action, March 22, "Back Up Your Birth Control Day," as we work to generate 5000 e-mails to stand up to a government that places politics over America's health needs.


Emergency contraception (EC)* is a safe and effective means of preventing pregnancy after contraceptive failure or unprotected intercourse. But the federal government has failed for nearly two years to approve over-the-counter access to EC and doesn't even think emergency facilities should routinely give rape victims EC to prevent pregnancy from the assault.

Two Years and Counting: Still No FDA Approval for EC Over-the-Counter

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to hamper women's access to EC. Earlier this year, it delayed indefinitely its decision whether to approve the emergency contraceptive, Plan B, to be sold over-the-counter to women 16 and older. It has been almost two years since the original application and during that time the FDA has ignored the advice of medical experts, major medical groups, and even its own advisory committee.

• Make your voice heard by sending a letter to the FDA calling for the approval of the EC over-the-counter application. http://www.aclu.org/ReproductiveRights/ReproductiveRights.cfm?ID=17705&c=30
  
  
• Spread the word! Raise awareness on this issue and asks others to send letters to the FDA calling for the approval of the EC over-the-counter application. https://www.aclu.org/team/Tell.cfm?action=114
  
  

Department of Justice Fails Rape Victims

The Department of Justice's (DOJ's) recently released first-ever national guidelines for treating sexual assault survivors failed to include vital information about pregnancy prevention and EC. Experts say if taken in a timely manner EC could prevent 22,000 of the 25,000 pregnancies occurring yearly from sexual assault. Earlier this year the Project worked with a broad coalition to send a letter to the DOJ urging it to amend the protocol. http://www.aclu.org/ReproductiveRights/ReproductiveRights.cfm?ID=17275&c=30

Please do the same:

• Send a letter to your legislators to insist that the DOJ amend its protocols. http://www.aclu.org/ReproductiveRights/ReproductiveRights.cfm?ID=17416&c=30
  
  
• Spread the word! Ask 10 friends to send letters to their legislators to insist that the DOJ amend its protocols. https://www.aclu.org/team/Tell.cfm?action=111
  
  

For more information about the failure of emergency facilities to provide EC to sexual assault patients see the ACLU briefing paper, Preventing Pregnancy after Rape: Emergency Care Facilities Put Women at Risk at: http://www.aclu.org/ReproductiveRights/ReproductiveRights.cfm?ID=17212&c=30

Back Up Your Birth Control Campaign Activities
Want to get even more involved? Visit the Back Up Your Birth Control website for additional ideas: http://www.backupyourbirthcontrol.org/getinvolved/index.htm

* EC, often referred to as the "morning-after pill," reduces the risk of pregnancy by as much as 89 percent if taken within days of unprotected intercourse or contraceptive failure. It is most effective if taken within 12 hours of unprotected intercourse. EC will not terminate or harm an existing pregnancy and should not be confused with the early abortion pill (mifepristone), also known as RU-486.