The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first daily birth control pill in the U.S. that can be sold without a prescription. Yesterday, 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 and anyone will be able to buy it, 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 and 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. 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.”
Source: Good Morning America
