About 61 percent of women in the U.S use some form of contraceptive. On July 13, 2023, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Opill, a birth control tablet, for nonprescription use.  The progestin only pill is supposed to be taken daily and targets the ovaries, preventing them from releasing any eggs. This is known to be about 91 percent effective. 

This recent development has sparked up some debates about whether people should be able to purchase this as an over-the-counter (OTC) drug like Tylenol or Benadryl. Unlike Opill, other over the counter drugs come with serious risks that can lead to overdose or addiction. On the upside, the FDA has already demonstrated the safety of the drug by making Plan B available without prescription, which shares the same active ingredient as Opill. “When used as directed, daily oral contraception is safe and is expected to be more effective than currently available non prescription contraceptive methods in preventing unintended pregnancy,” said Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. 

Unfortunately, not everyone has access to the same medical resources as others, particularly teens, immigrants, and the uninsured, and getting a prescription could be quite difficult. The production of this over the counter contraceptive, can reduce barriers to birth control access, which can help reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies and their potential negative impacts. 

The pill becoming OTC also means they would no longer be covered by insurance.  There are many advantages and disadvantages that come with this advancement, just like any other drug, but until it becomes available (which is expected to be in 2024), its real impact will remain unknown. A word of advice, “I feel like women should try and consult a doctor before taking it either way, it works on everyone differently”, Sofia Saravia, Freshman.