Birth control drug Opill soon to be available for purchase over the counter
ROCHELLE PARK, N.J. -- For the first time, shoppers will soon be able to buy birth control over the counter and without a prescription.
The drug will be available in pharmacies and online, about as accessible as Advil.
Steven Blikstein is a pharmacist at Invictus Pharmacy in Rochelle Park.
"So, being able to walk in -- we're open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., six days a week -- you can kind of just come in whenever you have free time to come in. Rather than schedule an appointment, go in, wait in a waiting room," Blikstein said.
The product is called Opill. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for prescription use about 50 years ago. Last summer, it was the first birth control pill to be cleared for sale over the counter.
It'll cost around $20 for a 30-day supply.
"This is going to be a real big game changer for women and their reproductive rights," CBS New York medical contributor Dr. Nidhi Kumar said.
Kumar said this is a big deal for access and affordability.
"One half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended, and we have about 20 million women in the United States that are living in what they call 'contraceptive desserts,' where they have difficulty accessing contraception and affordable reproductive health," Kumar said.
Opill's manufacturer, Perrigo, says the drug is 98% effective when used as directed.
Experts say it is safe for most women to use, but women who have or have had breast cancer should not take it.
"It has a long safety profile. However, that being said, it is not meant to be used without getting regular gynecological care or being under the care of a primary care physician," Kumar said.
The manufacturer just started shipping that drug this week, so it will take some days, maybe even weeks, to arrive on a shelf near you.
The company plans to offer a cost-assistance program in the coming weeks to help low-income women obtain the drug.