Federal plan for morning-after pill sales OK, New York judge says

NEW YORK – A New York City judge has found the government can go ahead with its plan to make the morning-after pill available over the counter.

But Judge Edward Korman also warned the Food and Drug Administration must approve the sales without delay or face further litigation in a long-running dispute over the emergency contraceptives.

The memo issued by the judge on Wednesday came in response to a Department of Justice decision this week to reverse course and comply with his order to make morning-after pills available to buyers of any age without prescriptions.

Lawyers for women's rights advocates had argued in a letter to the judge the plan falls short because it limits the unrestricted sales to the more expensive Plan B one-pill version of the drug.

The judge wrote approval of the one-pill version "is sufficient to comply" with his order.