The first over-the-counter birth control pill in the U.S. to go on sale later this month
Opill, the first birth control pill approved for over-the-counter distribution, is now shipping to retailers and pharmacies. The company behind the pill, Perrigo, announced on Monday. It will be available in stores and online later this month.
The Food and Drug Administration approved Opill last year, paving the way for the United States to join the program dozens of countries who have already launched over-the-counter birth control pills. Opill, which works by using the hormone progestin to prevent pregnancy, is intended to be taken around the same time every day and, when used as directed, is 98% effective.
The pill’s arrival on shelves comes at a highly charged time for American reproductive rights: Not only has the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the nation’s right to abortion, but the nation’s highest court will also hear arguments over the next few years on two abortion-related matters. months.
“Week after week, we hear stories of people being denied the reproductive health care they desperately need as politicians and judges pry into the lives of patients and caregivers. Today we can celebrate other news,” Dr. Tracey Wilkinson, a pediatrician in Indiana and board member at Physicians for Reproductive Health, said in a statement.
“As Opill makes its way into pharmacies across the country, I am relieved to know that access to contraception will become less challenging for so many people, but especially young people.”
Two in five women of childbearing age said in a 2022 KFF poll that if approved by the FDA, they would likely use over-the-counter birth control pills.
But as reproductive rights activists celebrated Perrigo’s Monday announcement, some also opposed the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $19.99 for a one-month supply and $49.99 for a three-month supply. (It will also be available on Opill.com for $49.99 for a three-month supply and $89.99 for a six-month supply.)
“While today is a huge step forward, the price is still high for many teenagers I know,” Maia Lopez said in a statement. Lopez, 17, is part of a youth council that works with the Free the Pill coalition, which advocates for over-the-counter birth control pills.
“As a high school student in Texas who struggled to access the pill in the current system and faced social stigma while trying,” Lopez added, “I know firsthand how important it is to ensure that young people can easily walk into a store. access the contraception they need.”