Prescription-free birth control tablets will be available throughout the United States starting this month, increasing access to contraception at a time when abortion rights have been severely restricted.
Perrigo Company, an American-Irish company, stated on Monday that its Opill has “shipped to major retailers and pharmacies and will be available on shelves nationwide,” with one-month and three-month packs priced at $19.99 and $49.99, respectively. It will also be accessible at Opill.com.
According to official figures, over half of the more than 6.1 million conceptions in the United States each year are unplanned. Major medical organizations have long supported over-the-counter (OTC) birth control as a means of reducing obstacles to contraception access.
“We champion the right of women and people to determine their sexual health journey and the availability of Opill over-the-counter is truly a historic moment of which our entire organization can be proud,” said Perrigo Executive Vice President Triona Schmelter.
The Food and Drug Administration approved Opill for sale without a prescription last year. It is known as a “mini-pill” since it includes just progestin and works by thickening mucus in the cervix to prevent sperm from reaching an egg.
Navigating tough terrain of contraceptive access after the Supreme Court’s abortion rights rollback
Preserving access to contraceptives has become politically difficult following the conservative-led Supreme Court’s decision to repeal the national right to abortion in 2022.
Twenty-one states have prohibited or moved to restrict abortions to more stringent limitations than existed before Roe v Wade, the case that upheld the constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy.
Republicans in Congress also vetoed Democratic-backed legislation that would have enshrined individuals’ right to obtain contraceptives, an issue that has become more pressing as conservative-run states redefine personhood in novel ways.
Alabama’s highest court ruled this month that frozen embryos should be considered children, but the state legislature promptly passed a bill shielding clinics from legal culpability if such embryos were accidentally harmed or destroyed.
Growing global movement
Major medical groups such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Family Physicians support over-the-counter birth control.
Activists have long advocated for prescription-free access to health care for populations who face difficulties, such as ethnic minorities, young people, immigrants, and those living in rural towns.
Progestin-only pills, which do not contain the hormone estrogen, have been confirmed to be safe for nearly everyone, including women over 35 who smoke, women who are breastfeeding, and those with health conditions such as heart disease.
When taken correctly — every day within a three-hour timeframe — they are 99 percent effective. However, with irregular use, which is more common, the figure drops to roughly 93%.
Much of Asia, Africa, and Latin America allow over-the-counter birth control. The United Kingdom joined the club in 2021, but prescriptions are still required in most of mainland Europe, including France, Germany, Spain, and Italy, according to the “Free the Pill” initiative.