FDA Panel Recommends the First Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill
TimeAPR 2 2023
This is a historic step forward for reproductive health, women’s rights, and social justice, with the barriers of systemic inequities in the US healthcare system falling hardest on people of color and lower-income women. Moreover, switching the birth control pill from prescription to over-the-counter will improve equitable access to contraception and reproductive autonomy for thousands of women who are prevented from getting the abortion care they need.
The evidence provided on the safety and effectiveness of Opill is outdated, flawed, and relies on low-quality studies. There's no assurance that women with limited literacy would use it accurately or comply with directions to abstain from sex if they missed a dose. If Opill is approved without an age restriction, teens and adolescents will likely become sexually active and gravitate to drug stores across the US.