‘Morning After’ Pill Labels Sought

A group of organizations has filed a petition with the Food and Drug Administration asking the agency to require relabeling of six brands of oral contraceptives to tell women how to use them as “morning after” pills. The petition says that six oral contraceptives sold in the United States are proven to be effective as emergency postcoital contraceptives. They are Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories’ Ovral, Lo/Ovral, Nordette and Triphasil, and Berlex Laboratories’ Levlen and Tri-Levlen. Although the drugs are sold as emergency contraceptives overseas, the companies have not included that use on labels in the United States, said Janet Benshoof, president of the Center for Reproductive Law and Policy, which filed the petition on behalf of the American Public Health Assn., the American Medical Women’s Assn. and Planned Parenthood of New York . The groups want the labels to explain how to use the products as morning-after pills: two Ovral pills no later than 72 hours after intercourse and two more 12 hours later, or two four-pill doses of the other brands, the first no later than 72 hours after intercourse and the second 12 hours later. Wyeth-Ayerst declined to comment; Berlex officials said no one was available to comment.