FDA Approves First Ever No Script Over-The-Counter Birth Control Pill
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first daily birth control pill in the U.S. Now it can be sold without a prescription. According to Good Morning America, the FDA announced the news. Making this the first hormonal contraceptive pill you’ll be able to get over the counter.
It’s called Opill, and it will be sold online and in drug stores, convenience stores and grocery stores. Anyone will be able to buy it. Just like they would ibuprofen or any other commonly used medication. The FDA’s decision follows an independent advisory panel agreeing that it’s safe for most patients. Additionally, doctors say progestin-only pills, also called the “mini-pill,” come with fewer medical risks than combination polls with estrogen and progestin.
“Today’s approval marks the first time a nonprescription daily oral contraceptive will be an available option for millions of people in the United States,” Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement. Furthermore, she adds that when used as directed, daily oral contraception, like Opill, “is safe and is expected to be more effective than currently available non-prescription contraceptive methods in preventing unintended pregnancy.”
When and where will it be available? The pill will be readily obtained and should be available for purchase in early 2024.
