NBC Al Roker Has Epiphany… His 14-Year Old Daughter Can Now Get Morning After Pill

Marion Algier – Ask Marion – Cross-posted at THITW – h/t to TLA

 "Al" Albert Lincoln Roker, Jr., television weatherman and co-host of NBC's Today Show had an epiphany on today’s show (06.11.13), about a week late… or is that perhaps years late?… realizing that his 14-year-old daughter can now go get the morning after pill without his permission or even notification.

America has become a country of low and mis-informed voters fed by a media comprised primarily of either the ‘ideologically motivated’ or equally low and mis-informed people… or both, that for many Americans are their only source of news and information.

I mean really, Al… Albeit ‘Obama Central’', you work in the talk show/news industry; have ‘with it’ first and second wives (Deborah Roberts) and you have young children, a daughter.  Hello??

So which is Al… ‘ideologically motivated’, low and mis-informed… or both?  You be the judge.

Video:  Remember:…Weatherman Al Roker 'Yells Down' VP Joe Biden in 2nd Inauguration Parade (He and media pals… like MSNBC ‘quiver down my leg’ Chris Mathews go nuts)

Court Rules: Girls of Any Age Can Buy Morning-After Pill… Without Parental Consent

The brief order issued by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan permitted two-pill versions of emergency contraception to immediately be sold without restrictions, but the court refused to allow unrestricted sales of Plan B One-Step until it decides the merits of the government's appeal. It did not specify why the two-pill versions were being allowed now, though it said the government failed to meet the requirements necessary to block the lower-court decision.

Department of Justice spokeswoman Allison Price said the government was reviewing the court's order.

Appeals on both sides are pending…

CHICAGO, IL – APRIL 05: This photo illustration shows a package of Plan B contraceptive on April 5, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. Credit: Getty Images

This photo illustration shows a package of Plan B contraceptive generic version

TheBlaze: NEW YORK (AP) — Girls of any age can buy generic versions of emergency contraception without a prescription while the federal government appeals a judge’s ruling allowing the sales, according to a ruling Wednesday by a federal appeals court.

The brief order issued by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan permitted two-pill versions of emergency contraception to immediately be sold without restrictions, but the court refused to allow unrestricted sales of Plan B One-Step until it decides the merits of the government’s appeal. It did not specify why the two-pill versions were being allowed now, though it said the government failed to meet the requirements necessary to block the lower-court decision.

The order was welcomed by the Center for Reproductive Rights, where President Nancy Northup called it a “historic day for women’s health.”

“Finally, after more than a decade of politically motivated delays, women will no longer have to endure intrusive, onerous and medically unnecessary restrictions to get emergency contraception,” she said in a statement.

The center’s litigation director, Julie Rickelman, said the government has two weeks to decide whether to appeal the 2nd Circuit’s decision on the stay to the full appeals court or the Supreme Court. Even if there is no appeal of the stay ruling, it was unclear how soon drugstores would move the two-pill emergency contraception from behind the counter. She said she hoped the pills would be available without restriction within a month.

“What it does mean is that generic two-pill products are going to be readily available to women without age restrictions, on any drugstore shelf,” Rickelman said. “It’ll be like buying Tylenol. You’ll be able to go get it off the drugstore shelf, no ID, at the regular counter.”

Justice Department spokeswoman Allison Price said the government was reviewing the court’s order.

CHICAGO, IL – APRIL 05: This photo illustration shows a package of Plan B contraceptive on April 5, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois.

The government has appealed U.S. District Judge Edward Korman’s underlying April 5 ruling, which ordered levonorgestrel-based emergency contraceptives be made available without a prescription, over-the-counter and without point-of-sale or age restrictions.

The government asked Korman to suspend the effect of that ruling until the appeals court could decide the case, but the judge declined, saying the government’s decision to restrict sales was “politically motivated, scientifically unjustified and contrary to agency precedent.” He also said there was no basis to deny the request to make the drugs widely available.

The government had argued that “substantial market confusion” could result if Korman’s ruling was enforced while appeals were pending, only to be later overturned.

The Food and Drug Administration was preparing in 2011 to allow over-the-counter sales of the morning-after pill with no limits when Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius overruled her own scientists in an unprecedented move.

The FDA announced in early May that Plan B One-Step could be sold without a prescription to those 15 and older. Its maker, Teva Women’s Health, plans to begin those sales soon. Sales had previously been limited to those who were at least 17.

Korman later ridiculed the FDA changes, saying they established “nonsensical rules” that favored sales of the Plan B One-Step morning-after pill and were made “to sugarcoat” the government’s appeal.

He also said they place a disproportionate burden on blacks and the poor by requiring a prescription for less expensive generic versions of the drug bought by those under age 17 and by requiring those over age 17 to show proof-of-age identification at a pharmacy.

Plan B One-Step is the newer version of emergency contraception – the same drug, but combined into one pill instead of two.

Technorati Tags: Roker,contraception,media,MSM,low-informed,NBC,dumbing-down of America,FDA,parenting,children,abortion,Sebelius,HHS,Obamaland,Big Brother,Big Pharma,society,Christians,MSNBC,pharmaceuticals,religion,levonorgestrel-based,culture,morality,ideology

NEW REPORT RECOMMENDS FREE BIRTH CONTROL FOR ALL WOMEN UNDER HEALTH CARE LAW

Insurance companies should provide free birth control, sexually transmitted infection counseling and HIV screening to all women under the new health care law, a new report from the independent Institute of Medicine said Tuesday.

Under the institute’s recommendations, all Food and Drug Administration - approved birth control methods — including the “morning after pill” — and sterilization procedures would be completely covered for women of reproductive ability as preventive health services, with no co-payments or deductibles.

Women would also receive insurance-covered breastfeeding consulting and equipment, gestational diabetes screening, human papillomavirus testing and domestic violence counseling, all at no cost.

In making its recommendations, the report cited the number of unintended pregnancies in the U.S., the risk such pregnancies pose to the mother and baby, and the direct medical costs involved:

Women with unintended pregnancies are more likely to receive delayed or no prenatal care and to smoke, consume alcohol, be depressed, and experience domestic violence during pregnancy.  Unintended pregnancy also increases the risk of babies being born preterm or at a low birth weight, both of which raise their chances of health and developmental problems.

The Department of Health and Human Services commissioned the panel to help it determine coverage regulations, but is not required to adopt any of its recommendations. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is reviewing the report and will make a final decision soon, according to a statement.

Sebelius called the report “historic” and “based on science and existing literature.”

“Before today, guidelines regarding women’s health and preventive care did not exist,” Sebelius said.

Both the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and Planned Parenthood applauded the panel’s recommendations.

“I’m really taken and pleased with the concept of making contraceptive methods available to women in general,” said Dr. James Martin Jr., ACOG’s president. “It’s just a shame that so many pregnancies in this country are unplanned and unwanted.”

“Covering birth control without co-pays is one of the most important steps we can take to prevent unintended pregnancy and help keep women and children healthy,” said Dr. Vanessa Cullins, vice president for medical affairs at Planned Parenthood in a statement.

At the same time, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops came out in strong opposition to the recommendations. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities, said there is “an ideology at work” behind the report, because “most Americans surely see that abortion is not healthy or therapeutic for unborn children, and has physical and mental health risks for women.”

“Without sufficient legal protection for rights of conscience, such a mandate would force all men, women and children to carry health coverage that violates the deeply-held moral and religious convictions of many,” DiNardo said in a statement.

Remember the promise that abortions and sterilizations would not be covered under ObamaCare with taxpayer money?!?