Perrigo’s Opill has received U.S. clearance for over-the-counter use, making it the first daily oral birth-control product to be available without a prescription in the U.S.
The decision released Thursday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration widens access to the drug by removing substantial barriers to obtaining oral contraception, such as inability to get a doctor’s appointment.
While Americans have had access to Opill with a prescription since 1973, reproductive rights advocates have long argued that oral contraception should be available over the counter, as is the case in more than 100 countries. The nonprescription version has the potential to allow women to get access to birth control without intervention from potential gatekeepers, like doctors and parents. However, the price of the drug may be an obstacle for some users.
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