FDA Approves Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill, Expanding Access to Contraception The daily oral contraceptive is expected to be available in early 2024 through stores and online retailers.
Key Takeaways
- The FDA has approved a birth control pill that will be available without a prescription in the United States.
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On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a birth control pill, Opill, to be sold without a prescription in the United States, the first time that oral contraception has been made available over the counter in the country.
The manufacturer, Perrigo Company, plans to release Opill in early 2024 through stores and online retailers, The New York Times reported. Opill is expected to be more effective than nonprescription methods such as condoms and spermicides, according to the FDA.
"Today marks a truly momentous day for women's health nationwide," Perrigo president and CEO Patrick Lockwood-Taylor, said in a statement. "Opill has the potential to radically transform women's access to contraception and is a true testament of Perrigo's unwavering commitment to deliver impactful solutions that truly make lives better."
Perrigo via Associated Press
Related: COVID-19 Is Changing How Women Think About Their Fertility
A panel of independent scientific advisers to the FDA unanimously voted in favor of making a birth control pill available without a prescription, emphasizing the benefits outweigh the risks, according to The Times.
The price of Opill has yet to be announced, but Frédérique Welgryn, global vice president for women's health at Perrigo, told the outlet that the company is determined to make the pill "accessible and affordable to women and people of all ages."
