FDA advisors recommend sale of birth control pill without a prescription

A panel of experts who advise the Food and Drug Administration unanimously recommended Wednesday that the agency for the first time allow women to obtain a birth control pill without a prescription.

The panel had been asked whether the benefits of selling HRA Pharma’s birth control pill outweighed the risks of consumers improperly using the medication resulting in unintended pregnancy.

The FDA is not obligated to follow the recommendations of its independent advisors, all 17 of whom voted “yes” on the proposal.