FDA plays politics. So, it wasn’t about safety. And it wasn’t about labeling. And it wasn’t about preventing young teens from making illegal purchases. So what’s been the hold-up at the federal level for allowing the sale of Plan B contraceptives over the counter? Politics.

Social conservative groups have opposed the application from the beginning because they believe the use of such drugs is tantamount to abortion. But FDA officials all along said they would be persuaded by “sound science,” not politics.

A Government Accountability Office investigation suggests that officials at the Food and Drug Administration made up their minds to turn down the application of Barr Pharmaceuticals before scientists were finished with their review. When scientists did issue a recommendation, they voted 23-4 to approve the nonprescription sale of the emergency contraceptive. Further, the FDA deviated from its normal practices, the GAO found.

In Washington state, emergency contraceptives are sold over the counter. All of the supposed horrors stemming from such sales have yet to materialize. The FDA can begin repairing its image by lifting its political ban.

MLB delays politics. On Major League Baseball’s Web page Wednesday – down below the blogs and downloads and online auction for historic lineup cards – there was a link to a release about the organization’s new drug policy.

The placement hardly matched the significance implied by Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, who called the agreement “an important step to reaching our goal of ridding our sport of performance-enhancing drugs. …” (Not to mention an important step to avoid federal legislation that might take the issue largely out of baseball’s hands.)

Indeed, the new policy provides for more testing and stronger penalties than the 10-month-old rules that members of Congress found laughably lax. Players shown to be using steroids, for example, are to be suspended 50 games for a first offense, 100 games for a second and banned for life for a third – or at least for two years until a banned player can apply for reinstatement.

The new policy is an improvement, but not as bold a step as Selig claims.