Birth Control Pills Soon To Be Available Over The Counter After Unanimous FDA Vote

A new vote in favor of birth control pills could give women control of their bodies again.

CNN reported the U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted to make birth control pills available over the counter to those in need. On Wednesday, advisory panels agreed for people to use a pill called Opill safely and effectively, saying the pills are more of a “benefit than a risk.” Young adults and other groups are advised to take the pill at the same time every day and won’t need assistance from healthcare providers.

The manufacturer of the pill, Perrigo, praised the vote, calling it a “groundbreaking” moment in the women’s health movement, especially after the overturn of Roe v. Wade last year. “Perrigo is proud to lead the way in making contraception more accessible to women in the U.S.,” Perrigo’s president and CEO, Murray Kessler, said. “We are motivated by the millions of people who need easy access to safe and effective contraception.”

According to The Washington Post, the FDA doesn’t necessarily have to take the advice, however, with a 17-0 vote, if approved, Opill will become the first birth control pill available in the United States without a prescription. Advisory committee member Margery Gass feels this move “represents a landmark in our history of women’s health.” As told by CNN, Gass brought up the fact that pregnancies can make or break a women’s life. “Unwanted pregnancies can really derail a woman’s life, and especially an adolescent’s life,” she said.

Unwanted pregnancies seem to be a major public health issue in this country. CNN reported almost half of all pregnancies are unintended, with rates higher for lower-income women, Black women, and those who never completed high school.

There has been some pushback from FDA staffers, raising some concern for women facing different adversaries. They wonder how women with breast cancer or other medical conditions will be able to identify correctly if they should take the pill or not. Staffers also questioned the data from the company, especially numbers for younger users, as a larger number wasn’t included in their studies.