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The recent FDA compromise that makes emergency contraception available over the counter to women 18 and older came as a welcome surprise. But it is only a partial solution that leaves young women without equal access to health care.

The compromise, while a step forward, does not ensure that pharmacies will have the drug, or that the pharmacist will sell a woman the drug even if she's over 18. This could continue to leave women who need emergency contraception — particularly rape victims — unprotected.

Approval of Plan B, also known as the morning-after pill because it can be taken up to 72 hours after unprotected sex, came after a protracted fight that pitted Food and Drug Administration scientists against the agency's political appointees.

The fight became part of the reproductive rights argument as Plan B's application to become a nonpre-scription drug stalled in the FDA for three years. The stalemate prompted two senators to place holds on nominations for the FDA's top post while applications from manufacturer Barr Pharmaceuticals to make the drug available without a prescription were left pending.

In May 2004, the acting director of the FDA drugs division, Steven Galson, overruled an FDA advisory panel and rejected its 23-4 vote to sell Plan B over the counter.

He said there wasn't enough data to show if girls ages 11-15 could safely use the drug, so Barr reapplied, asking for over-the-counter status for women 16 and over.

Another FDA leader said he thought it was safe for women 17 and older but couldn't figure out how to enforce an age limit.

A November 2005 Government Accountability Office report found that high-level FDA officials took an unusual interest in the Plan B switch from prescription to over-the-counter availability. There were conflicting accounts about when the rejection decision was made — possibly before the scientific reviews were complete.

Make no mistake, the FDA decision to put the cut-off age at 18, and the requirements that it be sold in a pharmacy even without a prescription, are political calculations.

It is crucial that people concerned with reproductive rights not accept this partial panacea in a climate where government actors shape policy based on political and religious beliefs instead of science.

A 2004 study by the Arizona Family Planning Council found that emergency contraception was unavailable in almost half of the pharmacies polled. While some pharmacists refused to carry it because of moral or religious objections, many said the demand for the product wasn't there.

But Charlotte Harrison, the council's executive director, said women often don't know emergency contraception exists, and doctors don't bring it up unless asked about it. We hope the silence will now be broken.

There is no doubt that many teens become sexually active before they're ready to handle the emotional and physical consequences. Arizona is no stranger to teen pregnancy. In 2003, more than 13,650 girls under 19 became pregnant and most gave birth, according to state figures. This illustrates the need for better education and access to contraception.

The prescription requirement for those under 18 requires young women to seek medical attention before taking the emergency contraception. This may present an opportunity for a young woman to have a much-needed talk about reproductive health. But it can also be a roadblock to avoiding an unwanted pregnancy if the teen doesn't have access to a public health clinic or a provider like Planned Parenthood, where the young patient's medical confidentiality would be respected.

So while the FDA made a good, albeit incomplete, decision on Plan B, it is vital to remember that the battle for reproductive rights continues. Young women deserve equal access to health care.