The Food and Drug Administration has granted approval for Opill, a daily oral contraceptive that can be accessed even without getting a doctor's prescription.
Opill Gains FDA Approval as an OTC Contraceptive
The New York Post explains that with this FDA approval, consumers can now easily access the pill in drug stores, convenience markets, grocery stores, or even online sellers. This milestone marks the first time that an over-the-counter (OTC) and nonprescription daily birth control pill can be accessed by millions of individuals across the US.
Opill, which is sold by Perrigo, first received its prescription approval back in 1973. It is also referred to as the mini-pill and consists of progestin and a hormone. NBC News adds that the pill was observed to demonstrate 93% effectiveness in pregnancy prevention with typical utilization. This makes it similar to other prescription oral birth control pills.
Now, its OTC approval will make birth control easier to access because individuals need not get a checkup first. As such, this eliminates one birth control barrier.
Reuters explains that this FDA approval arrives as more states are banning abortion after the Supreme Court had a ruling last year that overturned the decision regarding the legalization of abortion across the country.
As such, this approval is also a huge milestone for certain medical groups, such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association. These organizations have been urging for years to have birth control pills that can be accessed over the counter, NBC News reports.
Dr. Melissa Simon, who is a clinical gynecology professor from Northwestern University, explains that the decision is monumental. Dr. Simon explains that OTC birth control can be accessed in more than a hundred countries, which means that the US has been falling behind in accessing effective and safe methods for those who are avoiding pregnancy.
According to the FDA, the approval covers users who are of reproductive age, including adolescents.
Opill should be consumed at the same time each day. As such, if the pill is not consumed within the three-hour window, specialists advise the use of a backup method, such as a condom, for the succeeding two days.
Birth Control and Unplanned Pregnancy
Around half of 6.1 million pregnancies in the United States are unplanned pregnancies. Such pregnancies are associated with health risks for the baby and the mother, the FDA explains.
Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, who serves as the director at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research of the FDA, explains that, when the pills are used as instructed, daily oral birth control pills are safe and can be expected to be more effective compared to other available nonprescription contraceptives for the prevention of unplanned pregnancy.
In 2022, KFF did a survey that discovered over three-fourths of women who are of reproductive age favored the production of making nonprescription contraceptives. Based on the survey, the main reason for supporting the prescription to OTC switch was convenience.
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