FDA Could Soon Green-Light The First Over-The-Counter Birth Control Pill

In light of Roe v Wade, the debate surrounding reproductive rights has become more heated than ever. And while the discourse can often be harrowing, here’s some good news: The first over-the-counter birth control pill could soon become a reality. 

According to The Guardian, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently revealed it is overlooking an application for the first birth control pill to be sold without a prescription in the US. 

The application, filed by HRA Pharma, hopes to make its daily, hormonal contraception—first approved for consumption in 1973—available to consumers at pharmacies nationwide, allowing them to purchase the pill without the need to see a doctor. 

Worryingly, as the company points out, nearly half of the 6.1 million pregnancies occurring in the country each year are unintended. Plus, with one-third of adult women reporting difficulties in obtaining a prescription or refill for the pill, creating greater access to contraception has become more important than ever. 

“This historic application marks a groundbreaking moment in contraceptive access and reproductively equity in the US,” says Frédérique Welgryn, Chief Strategic Operations and Innovation Officer at HRA Pharma. 

“More than 60 years ago, prescription birth control pills in the US empowered women to plan if and when they want to get pregnant. Moving a safe and effective prescription birth control pill to OTC will help even more women and people access contraception without facing unnecessary barriers,” he adds. 

[via The Guardian and Perrigo Company, cover image via Inna Mykhalchuk | Dreamstime.com]