Today, the FDA approved Opill, a progestin-only birth control pill, as the first over-the-counter birth control pill in the United States.
President & CEO of Physicians for Reproductive Health and ob/gyn in Washington DC, Dr. Jamila Perritt, responds:
“After testifying before the FDA advisory committee earlier this year alongside fellow health care providers, young people, advocates, and experts, I am elated to see the United States make strides for access to birth control for communities across the country.
The people we care for are smart, savvy, and resilient.
“Opill is a safe and effective birth control pill that people of all ages should be able to access without the unnecessary barrier and delay of needing a prescription and mandated visits to a provider. The people we care for are smart, savvy, and resilient. They are aware of their needs and their goals regarding decisions about if, when, and how they build their families, plan, or prevent pregnancy. Moreover, the basic human right to make decisions regarding their bodily autonomy, individual agency and family building includes the human right to make decisions about their contraceptive method without undue pressure or the interference of medically unnecessary and harmful barriers to care.
“While we know that this action will not be a magic bullet or a panacea for fixing access challenges for many communities, it is an important initial action to creating equitable conditions for accessing contraceptive care. I applaud the FDA for following the advisory committee’s recommendation and making Opill for communities across the country.”