Prescription-free birth control pills to hit shelves across the US, aiding access amidst abortion rights debate

Prescription-free birth control tablets, Opill, are set to be available in the US in late March, marking a historic advancement in contraception availability

In a move coming at a critical juncture, with abortion rights facing substantial restrictions in various states, Prescription-free birth control tablets are scheduled to appear on store shelves across the United States in late March, marking a historic advancement in the availability of contraception. 

The American-Irish pharmaceutical company Perrigo Company announced on Monday that its Opill would be broadly accessible for purchase. Major national shops and pharmacies will carry the medicine, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for over-the-counter (OTC) distribution last year. Furthermore, customers will be able to buy the tablets from the company’s website. The tablets will cost $19.99 and $49.99 for one-month and three-month packs, respectively.

Due to its progestin-only formula, Opill, sometimes called a “mini pill”, works by thickening cervical mucus, which prevents sperm from fertilizing an egg. The launch of over-the-counter birth control is in line with the lobbying of significant medical associations, which seeks to reduce obstacles to the availability of contraception. Nearly half of the 6.1 million pregnancies that occur in the US each year are unplanned, according to official figures.

“We champion the right of women and people to determine their own sexual health journey,” said Triona Schmelter, Executive Vice President of Perrigo, “and the availability of Opill over-the-counter is truly a historic moment of which our entire organization can be proud.” Schmelter also expressed pride in the company’s role in advancing sexual health autonomy.

The conservative-led Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling to withdraw the nation’s right to an abortion has created a tense political environment around reproductive rights. As a result, access to reproductive health care has become more difficult in twenty-one states where abortion is either illegal or subject to stricter regulations.

Political impasse has hindered attempts to pass laws ensuring people’s access to contraception, with Republicans opposing measures supported by Democrats. The seriousness of this problem has increased as governments run by conservatives reinterpret reproductive rights and personhood.

Activists have long called for the availability of OTC birth control in order to break down obstacles for disadvantaged groups, such as young people, immigrants, members of ethnic minorities, and individuals living in rural areas. Progestin-only tablets are safe for most populations and have a 99 percent efficacy rate when taken regularly within a three-hour timeframe. On the other hand, inconsistent use may lower effectiveness to around 93%.
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Although OTC birth control is legal in much of Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the UK followed this trend in 2021. Remarkably, the “Free the Pill” campaign claims that prescription restrictions are still in place in several countries across continental Europe, including France, Germany, Spain, and Italy.

The availability of prescription-free birth control marks a significant step forward in reproductive health care accessibility in the United States, potentially reshaping the landscape of contraception access amidst ongoing debates surrounding abortion rights.

Source: AFP