Washington, D.C. – Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, called an expert advisory panel's vote to recommend approval of another emergency contraceptive a positive step forward for women seeking to prevent unintended pregnancy.

The expert panel's recommendation of approval for ella® to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) comes after more than 4,000 women participated in a rigorous clinical trial for the emergency contraceptive. The research shows the medication can be an effective way to prevent pregnancy up to five days after sex. 

"This recommendation of ella® from doctors, medical experts, and health advocates comes after a rigorous review process," Keenan said. "Emergency-contraception options like ella® are a safe, effective back-up method when something goes wrong such as if a condom breaks, or in tragic situations when a woman is sexually assaulted. This is a step forward for commonsense, common-ground ways to help prevent unintended pregnancy and thus reduce the need for abortion."

Keenan said she expected anti-contraception groups to attack the expert panel's decision and distort the facts about ella®. The same groups used political attacks to delay the FDA's approval of over-the-counter access to emergency contraception during the Bush administration.