The United States on Thursday approved the sale of a contraceptive pill without a prescription, a first in the country, in a bid to ease access.
The affected pill, Opill, will be available in pharmacies, convenience stores and supermarkets, as well as online, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said.
This decision must “lower the barriers to entry” of this contraceptive method by making it possible to obtain it “without first having to see a doctor,” the FDA wrote in a press release.
Many countries already allow birth control pills to be sold over the counter. However, this measure is in a special context in the United States, where abortion rights are again being attacked by conservatives and are now banned in several states.
“When used as directed, daily oral contraception is safer and more effective in preventing unwanted pregnancies than currently available over-the-counter birth control methods,” said Patrizia Cavazzoni, an FDA associate.
This pill, manufactured by the pharmaceutical company HRA Pharma, recently acquired by Perrigo, had been approved by prescription in the US for many years.