The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved HRA Pharma’s progestin-only birth control medication Opill, making it the nation’s first over-the-counter birth control pill.
“Today’s approval marks the first time a nonprescription daily oral contraceptive will be an available option for millions of people in the United States,” said Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “When used as directed, daily oral contraception is safe and is expected to be more effective than currently available nonprescription contraceptive methods in preventing unintended pregnancy.”
The daily pill is approved for all ages, though questions about coverage still exist — including coverage under insurance plans. Parent company Perrigo Co. did not announce a price but said the pill will be available in stores early next year.
