FDA approves the nation's first birth control pill
BALTIMORE -- For the first time ever, a birth control pill will be available for over-the-counter purchase in the United States.
That's because the FDA has finally approved the nation's first birth control pill. It will be sold in drugstores without a prescription.
Dr. Jessica Lee, an OB/GYN with the University of Maryland Medical Center and an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, described the new pill to WJZ as a sign of "social and public health progress" that moves the United States "in the right direction at a pivotal time."
"This is a huge win for public health nationwide," she said. " You know, the ability to access safe contraception without a prescription will significantly impact the lives of women, particularly teenagers and people who don't regularly see a doctor."
The once-a-day pill, Opill, has been around for decades. Oral contraceptives remain the most common form of birth control in the country, though.
"Opill gives women control over their own health and will, I think, lower the number of unintended pregnancies," she said.
It's estimated that 45% of pregnancies are unintended. Some people, like Lee, hope that making the Opill readily available around the country will reduce barriers and give women and girls greater access to safe and effective contraception.
Opill is expected to hit store shelves early next year.
"Some questions still remain that are critical, like how much it's going to cost and whether insurance will cover it like they do for prescription birth control," she said. "So, I think we'll have to wait and see."