Headline Roundup July 13, 2023
FDA Approves First Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill
Summary from the AllSides News Team
On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved HRA Pharma's Opill, the first over-the-counter birth control pill that can be sold without a prescription in the United States.
Key Details: The move will likely remove barriers to accessing contraceptives, though the cost of Opill has not been announced, and affordability may be in question. Opill should be available over the counter in 2024, but is not recommended for women who have had breast cancer.
Key Quote: “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,” said the Director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Patrizia Cavazzoni.
For Context: The U.S. now joins more than 100 countries that allow birth control pills without a prescription.
How The Media Covered It: Sources across the political spectrum noted the FDA's findings that the pill is safe and effective for most women, and is easy to administer.
Featured Coverage of this Story
Associated Press
Federal regulators Thursday approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill available in the United States, a milestone in decades-long efforts to make oral contraceptives easier to obtain, especially by teenagers and women who don’t regularly see a doctor.
The Food and Drug Administration’s approval of Opill, made by the consumer health giant Perrigo, comes six decades after daily birth control pills were introduced in the United States, drastically changing the lives of countless women and American society. And it means the country will join about 100 other nations that allow the sale...
Getty Images
The US government has approved the first-ever over-the-counter birth control pill.
The Food and Drug Administration announced on Thursday birth control pill Opill will be available without a prescription for women of all ages.
In a statement, the agency said the move would help reduce women's barriers to accessing contraception.
The manufacturer of the progestin-only pill has said Opill will most likely be available over the counter in 2024.
Doctors say that the progestin-only pill - often known as the "minipill" - is a particularly safe form of contraception because...
The Food and Drug Administration announced on Thursday morning its approval of the progestin-only oral contraceptive Opill for over-the-counter use.
“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,” said the Director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Patrizia Cavazzoni.
This decision comes after an advisory panel in May unanimously supported the proposal to grant over-the-counter approval to the Irish-based company Perrigo's contraceptive.
"When properly used, Opill is safe and effective," the...
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