Labels first need to be revised to remove age restrictions, and the government could file another appeal to block moving the products from behind pharmacy counters.

Doctors, reproductive health specialists, manufacturers and pharmacists struggled Thursday to make sense of the appellate ruling that allows the original two-pill version of emergency contraception to be sold immediately without restrictions. Theoretically that means girls of any age could buy the pills without a prescription and without providing identification — just like aspirin, ointments and most other over-the-counter medicines.

But the ruling doesn't lift restrictions on newer one-pill versions, which means pharmacists and pharmacy clerks will have to be clear on the differences among five or so available versions.