Over-the-counter birth control pills: How does it impact access?
- The FDA approved the oral contraceptive Opill for over-the-counter use
- It eliminates some obstacles for uninsured people who need the pill
- It's unclear how much it will cost once it's available
FILE – This illustration provided by Perrigo in May 2023, depicts proposed packaging for the company’s birth control medication Opill. U.S. officials have approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill, a major change that will broaden access for women and teenagers. The Food and Drug Administration decision on Thursday, July 13, 2023 means drugmaker Perrigo can sell its once-a-day Opill without a prescription. (Perrigo via AP, File)
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(NewsNation) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved over-the-counter use of a once-daily birth control pill — a move advocates say could break down barriers to contraceptive access.
The impact of the FDA’s approval could be widespread.
About 14% of women between 15 and 49 years old used birth control pills as of 2019, the most recent data available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The FDA’s approval of Opill, an oral contraceptive from the manufacturer Perrigo, marks the first time such medication has been available without a prescription since birth control was legalized nationwide in 1965. It’s unclear how much the pill would cost.
On one hand, users won’t need to pay for a doctor’s appointment, arrange childcare or take off work to obtain a prescription. On the other hand, the cost could still be high for some if the pill isn’t covered by insurance.
The manufacturer has said its committed to making Opill affordable and accessible. Pricing information is expected to be released in the following months.
Some manufacturers, like those who produce the emergency contraceptive Plan B, offer coupons and rebates to lower out-of-pocket costs.
Many people have access to free birth control through insurance. Without insurance, however, the birth control pill can cost as much as $50 for a month’s supply, or $600 for a year’s worth, according to Planned Parenthood.
A doctor’s appointment to get a prescription could be an additional $35-$250.
Although that’s cheaper than some other contraceptive methods, it’s not something everyone can afford.
According to KFF, formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation, most nonelderly uninsured people say health coverage is too expensive. Those out-of-pocket costs disproportionately fall to people of color, who are at a higher risk of being uninsured than white people, KFF found.
Those without insurance may also be less likely to have access to other forms of family planning.
As of 2021, Texans aged 0-64 years old had the highest uninsured rate nationwide at 20.5%. Texas also is among the states with some of the most restrictive abortion laws. The state has issued a total ban on abortion with few exceptions.
Opill won’t being shipping until early next year, and there will be no age restrictions on sales, the Associated Press reported.
Sexually active people between the ages of 15 and 19-years-old experience the highest rates of unintended pregnancy in the U.S., according to the reproductive rights nonprofit the Guttmacher Institute.
