The US Government has approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill, which will be available without a script to women of all ages, probably early in 2024.
Doctors say that Opill, a progestin-only pill – often known as the “mini-pill” – is a particularly safe form of contraception because it does not contain oestrogen, so it has fewer side effects and health risks, reports BBC News.
The US joins more than 100 countries that have made the pill available over the counter, including most countries in Latin America, as well as India, China and the United Kingdom.
The approval comes after an FDA expert advisory panel in May unanimously voted to recommend the pill be available over the counter.
During the hearing, some scientists had raised concerns about whether young people and those with limited literacy could understand the directions, including not taking the prescription if they had a history of breast cancer.
But committee members concluded women with breast cancer were already likely to be in contact with their doctors and aware that they should not take hormonal contraception.
Ultimately, the panel found that Opill, first approved by the FDA in 1973, had a history of safety and efficacy in preventing pregnancies.
In the US, some studies have found as many as nearly half of all pregnancies are unintended.
BBC News article – US approves first over-the-counter birth control pill (Open access)
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Breast cancer risk increased by some birth control pills
Breast cancer risk upped by contraceptive pill use – UK meta-analysis
Contraception with fewer hormones still effective – Philippines modelling study