NBC's Costello falsely reported conservative Concerned Women for America “advocates” allowing Plan B with age restrictions

In a July 31 report on the Food and Drug Administration's purported endorsement of the over-the-counter sale of the “morning-after” pill, or Plan B, for women 18 and older, NBC News correspondent Tom Costello falsely reported that the conservative Concerned Women for America “advocates” allowing women 18 and older to obtain the drug.


During a report on the July 31 edition of NBC's Nightly News, NBC News correspondent Tom Costello falsely reported that the conservative Concerned Women for America (CWA) “advocates” allowing women 18 and older to obtain the “morning-after” pill, or Plan B, a proposal the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reportedly may now approve. As purported evidence, Costello aired a statement by CWA president Wendy Wright, in which she said, “Our greatest concern about making Plan B over the counter is that it will end up harming women's health and be especially dangerous to young women, to adolescents.” In fact, Wright's statement is consistent with a July 31 CWA press release announcing the organization's opposition to the proposal to place an age restriction on the over-the-counter sale of Plan B; in that press release, Wright said, “Any scheme based on who buys the drug is absolutely meaningless” because "[a]nyone, man or woman, over 18 could buy the drug and turn around -- even in the store -- and give it to a 13-year old."

From the July 31 edition of NBC's Nightly News with Brian Williams:

COSTELLO: The FDA denies that it's politicized the process even though its top women's health scientist resigned in protest. But today, a change. With his confirmation hearings just a day away, [acting FDA commissioner] Dr. [Andrew] von Eschenbach indicated in a letter that he might approve over-the-counter access to Plan B, but require that it be kept behind pharmacy counters and only for women 18 and older, the same age that at least one conservative Christian group advocates.

WRIGHT: Our greatest concern about making Plan B over the counter is that it will end up harming women's health and be especially dangerous to young women, to adolescents.