The Plan B emergency contraceptive pill is now available over the counter for people 18 and older.

The pill, developed by a subsidiary of Barr Pharmaceuticals called Duramed, arrived at Walgreens on 16th Street and West Wisconsin Avenue Nov. 9, according to pharmacist Jeff Fox.

The pill has previously been available through prescription, but was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for OTC use on Aug. 24 2006.

The pill just became available at the pharmacy now because Duramed had to make new packaging for the OTC pill, Fox said.

"There were no directions or warnings on the prescription boxes, so the company had to put those on the OTC boxes," he said.

The pill costs $43.99 for two tablets, Fox said. Both pills must be taken for Plan B to be effective, one immediately and the next 12 hours later, he said.

Although the pill is now available at pharmacies, its over-the-counter use is still being debated.

According to Darryn Beckstrom, campus coordinator of the Family Research Institute of Wisconsin, the institute opposes OTC distribution of the pill.

The high dose of the pill is a threat to women, Beckstrom said.

"Plan B is an oral contraceptive that is very threatening to young women," she said. "It compromises women's health in general and its distribution should be regulated by a doctor."

There is also no regulation on how many times you take the pill, Beckstrom said.

According to Fox, an individual can purchase as many doses as they want at one time.

Beckstrom said the institute also opposes the pill because it believes the pill will increase promiscuity.

"People know they have another option to avoid pregnancy instead of absitinence," Beckstrom said.

Others say the pill is actually a good thing for women's health.

According to Kelda Helen Roys, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin, OTC use of Plan B will increase the quality of life for women.

"The pill has a tremendous potential to avoid unintended pregnancies and the possibility of abortion," Roys said. "Immediate access to the pill will increase the effectiveness of the pill because it can be taken right away."

Another benefit, according to Roys, is that OTC use of the pill takes away the uncertainty of unintended pregnancy.

"Single women will not have to make a decision of whether to keep the baby or have an abortion," she said.

Controversy has abounded even since the pill's OTC approval.

According to the FDA's Web site, a proposal from Barr Pharmaceuticals to sell the pill over the counter was rejected by Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Steven Galson because the company did not prove that the pill was safe for use by 16-year-olds.

The decision contradicted the two recommendations from FDA advisory committees, which evaluated OTC use of Plan B.

Duramed then resubmitted its proposal for OTC use for women 16 and older. The FDA evaluated the proposal but changed the age limit for women from 16 to 17.

According to a memorandum from Galson, after a further examination, Andrew von Eschenbach, acting commissioner of the FDA, determined there was no additional data saying the pill should not be restricted from 17-year-olds.

After delay, the FDA became a target for lawsuits. On Dec. 1, 2005, Wisconsin filed suit over the way the FDA handled the issue.