Women in the United States can now buy everyday birth control pills without a prescription from the doctor. Thanks to the approval from the Food and Drug Administration which has approved Opill the first over-the-counter birth control pill on July 12, 2023. Candace McCowan from Channel 2 was talking to Dr. Jayne Morgan from Piedmont Healthcare about the decision. Morgan expressed that it is important for the women to have such accessibility so that they can make sensible decisions while moving forward. The doctor also assured that women will be informed before using the pill as they should be informed as to what they are taking.
Morgan also said that like any other over-the-counter prescription, there will be warnings on the bottle and that people can make their decisions by considering how to move forward. She also said that women are intelligent enough to make such decisions. Morgan has also expressed that more such drugs should be available over-the-counter as more data surfaces. The FDA has said that the consumer understanding of the warning on the label was high. The availability of the drug will be determined by the manufacturer of the drug.
The over-the-counter availability of the drug will allow the individuals to have access to an oral contraceptive without the need to see a healthcare provider. It has been found that nearly half of the 6.1 million pregnancies in the United States every year are unintended. Such unintended pregnancies are prone to lead towards problems like negative perinatal and maternal outcomes. These also increase the risk of pre-term deliveries. This means that easy availability of such drugs can help to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies.
Opill is said to be effective and safe when used responsibly. The drug has to be taken at the same time everyday. This step is important for the effectiveness of the drug. If other drugs are used with Opill, then it can reduce the efficacy of the Opill.
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