The FDA has approved Opill, the first daily birth control pill that can be used without a prescription, paving the way for it to be sold in drug stores, convenience stores, and online.
The big move: This FDA approval of a nonprescription daily oral contraceptive significantly increases options for birth control in the United States.
* Patrizia Cavazzoni, the director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, believes this move will make Opill a more effective method of preventing unintended pregnancies compared to other nonprescription contraceptive methods.
* The approval comes at a time when some U.S. states are seeking to restrict access to birth control and abortion.
About the pill: Opill is a “progestin-only” pill that uses a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone to prevent pregnancy.
* It is produced by Perrigo, based in Dublin, Ireland.
* Other formulated and dosage variations of oral contraceptives, however, will still require a prescription as per the FDA’s statement.
Company perspective: Perrigo’s President and CEO Patrick Lockwood-Taylor described this approval as a “momentous day for women’s health nationwide”.
* He added that Opill has the potential to transform women’s access to contraception.
* The availability timeline for Opill which is sold in boxes containing a 28-day supply will be determined by Perrigo.
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