Over-the-counter (OTC) birth control has long been supported by major medical organizations.
Washington:
Over-the-counter birth control pills will become available across the United States later this month, expanding access to contraceptives at a time when abortion rights have been sharply reduced.
U.S.-Irish manufacturer Perrigo announced Monday that its Opill is “shipping to major retailers and pharmacies and will be available on shelves nationwide,” priced at $19.99 for a one-month supply and $49.99 for a three-month supply. It will also be available on Opil.com.
Over-the-counter (OTC) birth control has long been supported by major medical organizations as a way to reduce barriers to contraception, with almost half of the more than 6.1 million pregnancies in the United States each year being unintended, according to official figures.
“We champion the right of women and people to determine their own sexual health journey, and the launch of Opil over-the-counter is truly a historic moment that our entire organization is proud of,” said Triona Schmelter, executive vice president of Perrigo.
Opill, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration last year for sale without a prescription, is called a “mini pill” because it contains only progesterone, which prevents sperm from reaching the egg by thickening cervical mucus.
Keeping birth control in place has proven politically divisive after the conservative-led Supreme Court decided to roll back abortion rights nationwide in 2022.
Twenty-one states have banned or taken action to impose stricter restrictions on abortion than before Roe v. Wade, the case law that previously upheld the constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy.
Republicans in Congress have also blocked Democratic-backed legislation that would have codified an individual’s right to access contraception, an issue that has become more pressing as states run by conservatives define personhood in new ways.
The Alabama Supreme Court said last month that frozen embryos should be treated as children, although the state Legislature quickly passed a bill protecting clinics from legal liability if such embryos are inadvertently damaged or destroyed.
– A growing global movement –
Over-the-counter birth control pills are supported by major medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Family Physicians.
Activists have long fought for prescription-free services to remove barriers for groups that have difficulty accessing health care, including minorities, young people, immigrants, residents of rural communities and others.
Because it contains no estrogen, progestin-only pills are safe for almost everyone, including women over 35 who smoke, women who are breastfeeding, and women with health problems such as heart disease.
When taken correctly – within three hours each day – they are 99% effective. But due to inconsistent usage (which is more typical), that number drops to around 93%.
Over-the-counter birth control pills are allowed in most of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The UK joined the club in 2021, but a prescription is still required in much of the continent, including France, Germany, Spain and Italy, according to the Free Pill campaign.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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