The availability of the emergency contraceptive Plan B hinges on whether the Food and Drug Administration decides later this week to sell it over the counter to females age 16 and older.
The decision comes near the 32nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a landmark case that gave women the right to have an abortion.
Plan B, often referred to as the morning-after pill, has stirred a firestorm of controversy among supporters and anti-abortion activists.
Supporters of Plan B say making the pill readily accessible would decrease the number of unwanted pregnancies and abortions.
Veronica Stoler, 19, president of the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance at UCF, hailed Plan B as a viable alternative and said over the counter accessibility to the morning-after pill is dire especially since time is a key factor in its effectiveness.
"Sometimes you can't schedule a doctor's appointment fast enough to get a prescription for Plan B and seeing one can be expensive," the sophomore said. "If it's available over the counter, it would cut down on a whole lot of time."
The pills could prevent unplanned pregnancy if taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex. A second tablet should follow 12 hours later.
It works by preventing ovulation or fertilization and does not work if the person is already pregnant.
Currently, the morning-after pill is available only with a prescription.
For students like junior Megan Pursley, 21, taking Plan B was a lifesaver.
Not able to take any birth control pills because of emotional and physiological side effects, Pursley has had to rely on condoms despite the risk of them breaking.
"I've had the condom rip twice, and I've used Plan B twice," the psychology major said. "Plan B has saved me and my boyfriend from many headaches."
Debbie Workman, 20, said she would not hesitate to use Plan B if the situation arose, especially since she has many friends who have used it.
"It [Plan B] is something necessary because sometimes accidents happen," the liberal studies major said. "You can try to be safe by using a condom but its not always foolproof."
Plan B opponents are not debating the effectiveness of the drug, citing a rise in promiscuous behavior among women - teenagers in particular - as the reason for not making it easily accessible.
If selling Plan B over the counter passes FDA muster, a loophole in the system could allow older adults to purchase the pills for their younger counterparts.
This is the second time Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc., maker of Plan B, has submitted a proposal to the FDA seeking permission to market the morning-after pill over the counter.
The makers of Plan B tout an 89 percent effective rating for reducing the chance of pregnancy.
Common side effects associated with the drug are nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, headache and menstrual changes.
Plan B is not to be confused with RU 486, a pill that essentially works like an abortion. The FDA approved the drug's sale in 2000.
Eva Baraybar, an executive secretary at UCF's School of Nursing, said faculty members could not comment because they did not have a "knowledgeable opinion" on Plan B or any subject involving birth control.
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