The first over-the-counter birth control pill will be available in U.S. stores later this month, allowing American women and teenagers to buy birth control pills as easily as they buy aspirin.
Manufacturer Perrigo said Monday it has begun shipping the drug, Opal, to major retailers and pharmacies. According to the company’s suggested retail price, a one-month supply will cost around $20 and a three-month supply will cost around $50. It will also be sold online.
The launch has been closely watched since last July, when the Food and Drug Administration said one day Opel could be sold without a prescription. Ireland-based Perigo noted that there will be no age restrictions on sales, unlike other over-the-counter drugs.
The pill is an older class of contraceptives, sometimes called minipills, that contain a single synthetic hormone, progestin, and generally carry fewer side effects than the more popular combination estrogen and progestin pills.
The launch gives American women another birth control option amid legal and political battles over reproductive health, including Roe v. Including Weed’s reaction, which has expanded abortion access across the United States, Opel’s approval is tied to ongoing court battles over the abortion pill mifepristone. . And anti-abortion groups have generally emphasized that they do not oppose abortions to prevent abortions.
Birth control pills are available without a prescription in South America, Asia, and Africa.
The drug’s approval came despite some concerns from FDA scientists about the company’s findings, including whether women with certain medical conditions should understand that they should not take the drug.
Dr. Verda Hicks, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said in a statement that the study found that patients, including teenagers, can effectively screen themselves for using the pill. .