Once again science is infringing on government's inalienable right to control how we avoid having babies. This comes as Congressional auditors examine the reasons behind the FDA's decision to keep Plan-B contraceptives, or the ?morning after? pill from being sold without a prescription.

The FDA has a legal obligation to make decisions based on science rather then politics. Because many Bush administration allies oppose Plan-B as tantamount to abortion, one would think the FDA would take great care in avoiding the appearance of partisan influence.

To be fair, the FDA's statement on the issue shows they have been grappling with a myriad of pertinent issues pertaining to the drug, which our best and brightest bureaucrats could not resolve after months of consideration.

The statement goes on to hypothesize at great lengths about creating some sort of complex mechanism to verify the age of someone purchasing a drug. Because of these issues and others accidentally shredded by ex-commissioner Mark McClellan, the argument over Plan-B reached its logical conclusion: infinite delay.

For example, the decision on Plan-B was supposedly made in May. Now some FDA officials say rejection of Plan-B's over the counter bid was recommended in January. While he denied making a ruling until May, Dr. Steven Galson, the Acting Director for the Center For Drug Evaluation and Research, did tell the GAO that he was 90 percent sure about its rejection before the science was even reviewed. Mischaracterized. After all, if you love science so much, why don't you marry it?

While the GAO was deemed one of the best places to work in the federal government, the FDA trounces them in the category of most confusing and poorly worded press releases (Runners up in best rejection of an investigation by a government official. Darn Tom Delay).

Behind the Plan-B debate are larger moral issues, making the morning-after pill the newest battleground in the ?culture wars.? Many conservatives have been pressing the Bush administration to keep the pill behind the pharmacist's desk. The reasons range from the belief that it might cause an abortion depending on what you consider conception, and the popular notion that it will increase teen sexual activity.

In what must be a preemptive attack pending any study linking the morning after pill and rampant teen sex, our state legislature is quickly moving forward on a bill banning University Health services from advertising, prescribing, or dispensing the pill. Finally, the great plague of teen sexuality will be eradicated once and for all! Or perhaps students will just put more faith in a slab of latex .07 millimeters thick. Either way, it is comforting to know that our elected officials and health agencies are looking out for our best interests.

The state legislature should stop playing petty political games with our health care, as that clearly falls under the jurisdiction of the Food and Drug Administration.

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