Birth control pills – without a prescription

By: Trademagazin Date: 2023. 08. 31. 10:06

In July 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the marketing of the first US over-the-counter oral contraceptive pill. This could significantly expand access to contraception in the country. This preparation will be the most effective contraceptive method available without a prescription; more effective than condoms, spermicides and other over-the-counter birth control methods. The easy availability of the pill can be especially useful for teenagers, young women, and those who have difficulty going to the doctor for a prescription due to lack of time, high costs or other obstacles, according to A-Lab Pharma’s Health Monitor.

The oral contraceptive that can be taken daily is safe when used according to the regulations, and is expected to be more effective in preventing unwanted pregnancies than the currently available, over-the-counter contraceptive methods, said Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

Since the US Supreme Court struck down the right to abortion in 2022, access to contraception has become an increasingly pressing issue in the United States. According to a survey last year by the American health research organization KFF, more than three-quarters of women of childbearing age would prefer an over-the-counter birth control pill, primarily because of convenience, and almost 40 percent of them answered that they would probably use it. The product would most likely be chosen by women who are already taking pills and who do not have health insurance.

The FDA’s panel of independent scientific advisors, including obstetricians and gynecologists, adolescent physicians, oncology and other health experts, unanimously concluded in May that the benefits of over-the-counter birth control pills far outweigh the risks.