Opill oral contraceptive.Photo:HANDOUT/Perrigo Company/AFP via Getty
HANDOUT/Perrigo Company/AFP via Getty
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first-ever over-the-counter birth control pill in the United States.
The decision will reduce barriers to access that individuals may face when trying to obtain an oral contraceptive, since they’ll no longer need to first see a healthcare provider.
Perrigo — which is based in Dublin, Ireland — said Opill will likely be available in the United States in early 2024. Although the cost for the drug was not revealed, Frédérique Welgryn, Perrigo’s global vice president for women’s health, called the FDA approval “truly historic” and said Opill will be “accessible and affordable to women and people of all ages.”
Birth control pills.Getty
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“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,” Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a release. “When used as directed, daily oral contraception is safe and is expected to be more effective than currently available non-prescription contraceptive methods in preventing unintended pregnancy.”
“Today marks a truly momentous day for women’s health nationwide,” Patrick Lockwood-Taylor, Perrigo President and Chief Executive Officer, said in astatement. “Opill has the potential to radically transform women’s access to contraception and is a true testament of Perrigo’s unwavering commitment to deliver impactful solutions that truly make lives better.”
The FDA approval of Opill comes one year after the Supreme Court’s decision tooverturnRoe v. Wade.
source: people.com
