False claims about a Plan B morning-after pill being hidden in over-the-counter pregnancy tests are resurfacing on social media. The posts allege that if you split open the contents of a pregnancy test, you will find an emergency contraceptive pill “hidden” inside.
However, the claims are false.
The so-called pill is actually a desiccant tablet, similar to the tablets found in vitamin bottles, that are meant to absorb moisture and sustain the shelf life of the tests. The claims have long been debunked by medical professionals, as well as by the manufacturers of many at-home pregnancy tests. Clearblue, a company that sells pregnancy tests, even has a statement on its website saying the small desiccant tablet “should not be eaten.”
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Viral false claims about Plan B in pregnancy tests
CBS News Confirmed identified several social media posts spreading the false claims.
An Oct. 6 post on TikTok has more than 11.1 million views and has been shared nearly 50,000 times. In the video, content creator Ryan Telfer falsely claims that people are finding Plan B pills inside pregnancy tests and can be seen splitting open two pregnancy tests to reveal a tablet.
“Guys, I don’t know if this is a major life hack, or if maybe you’re not actually supposed to take these. I don’t know about you, but this could be saving a lot of lives,” he says in the video.
Doctors and other social media users are also posting online in an attempt to debunk the claims.
In an Oct. 19 TikTok post, Dr. Joe Whittington clarifies that “no over-the-counter pregnancy test has a Plan B pill inside.” His post was in direct response to the viral October post from Telfer.
Similarly, an Oct. 25 Instagram post from Nicholas Russo, a ninth grade health education teacher in New Jersey, currently has 450K views as he explains to his students what this “pill” really is and why people should not ingest them.
The claims are not new. Similar social media posts first started spreading in 2019, leading Clearblue to post a statement on its website.
“We became aware of videos circulating on social media [in 2019] but do not know what led to these and the associated claims being originated,” a spokesperson for the company told CBS.
Many of these videos are still up online and easily accessible on social media platforms.
Posts popped up again in 2022 after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, reversing the constitutional right to abortion. They resurfaced again this year in the lead up to the presidential election, as many people started stockpiling emergency contraception in fear of what a Trump win could mean for reproductive rights.
Clearblue says they’ve had a very low level of consumer contact about this topic but say they continue to monitor the claims as part of their post-market surveillance process.
Misconceptions about the morning-after pill
Even if a Plan B pill were to be included with tests, it wouldn’t stop a pregnancy. Plan B is an emergency contraceptive, commonly known as the morning-after pill, designed to be taken in the immediate aftermath of a sexual encounter to prevent a pregnancy. The pill does this by delaying the release of an egg from the ovary so that it is not there to meet the sperm, similar to birth control pills, according to the Food and Drug Administration. It is not designed to work if someone is already pregnant.
Pregnancy tests work by identifying pregnancy hormones in urine. Mayo Clinic says it’s best to test the first day after a missed period, usually around three weeks after unprotected sex. This would be far too late for Plan B to make any difference, as Plan B is most effective immediately after unprotected sex, or at least within 72 hours.
(Photo illustration by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Furthermore, the desiccant tablets used in pregnancy tests, as well as other common household goods, are mostly made of silica. While Clearblue told CBS News the desiccant tablets are not toxic, they are not supposed to be eaten. If they are, Clearblue recommends customers drink plenty of water and consult a doctor if they are unwell.
False claims about pregnancy tests offer a “teachable moment”
Russo, told CBS News Confirmed that while it’s concerning to see the claims in these videos spilling into the classroom, he sees it as a “teachable moment.”
“While it does concern me, I also like to approach them as ‘teachable moments’ for my students. I wanted to make sure that my students knew that not only was it not emergency contraception, but it was also not safe for human consumption,” Russo said.
He also pointed out the difference in price between a pregnancy test and Plan B pills, saying: “Plan B costs about $40 to $50, and the pregnancy test costs about $10. So, logically speaking, that doesn’t make any sense.”
A study by the Guttmacher Institute shows only 20 states require that sex education programs provide information on contraception. CBS News medical contributor Dr. Celine Gounder says this may be one of the reasons people are more prone to believe the misinformation they may see online.
“People are prone to believing mis- and disinformation when they have information voids,” Gounder told CBS News Confirmed. “Americans receive very little formal education about sexual health and have big gaps in their knowledge. People are also more likely to believe mis- and disinformation about controversial topics and culture war, wedge issues.”
Russo said this has led him “to emphasize the importance of doing your own research without simply believing what you see on the internet or hear from a peer.”
