Current:Home > FinanceFirst over-the-counter birth control pill heads to stores-InfoLens
First over-the-counter birth control pill heads to stores
View Date:2024-12-23 17:28:03
Opill, the first oral contraceptive pill to be available without a prescription in the U.S., has shipped to retailers nationwide. It will be sold online and in the family planning aisle of drugstores, convenience stores and supermarkets later this month, the manufacturer announced Monday.
The drug itself has been around for decades, but manufacturers have been working nine years toward making it available over the counter. Here's what else to know about Opill.
What's in it?
Opill is a daily progestin-only pill, meaning there's no estrogen in it. That's why this kind of pill is sometimes called a mini-pill.
This isn't a new kind of birth control pill. The drug substance was originally approved for prescription use in 1973, according to the Food and Drug Administration. But this is the first birth control pill that has been approved for use without a prescription from a health care provider.
"We have been working on it for nine years and got approval in July 2023 from the FDA to move forward. And it's been kind of full-steam ahead since that day," says Triona Schmelter, an executive at Perrigo, which manufactures Opill.
Is it safe? And does it work?
Yes. Like many other oral contraceptives, it's 98% effective at preventing pregnancy if taken correctly. It should start to work 48 hours after taking the first dose. Potential side effects include headaches, bloating and cramping.
The FDA convened its panel of outside experts to advise it on this approval back in May, and the panel voted unanimously in favor of approval.
They said that the labeling alone was enough for people to be able to use Opill correctly without a doctor's help.
"The progestin-only pill has an extremely high safety profile, and virtually no one can have a health concern using a progestin-only pill," Dr. Sarah Prager, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, told NPR in July when Opill was first approved by the FDA.
Where will it be sold?
Major retailers will sell Opill where you'd typically find condoms and pregnancy tests.
"Today we start shipping Opill to our retailers for their brick-and-mortar stores," says Schmelter. It will be available in the coming weeks in-store in the family planning aisle, she says, as well as on online marketplaces and Opill.com.
How much will it cost?
A month's supply of Opill has a recommended retail price of $19.99. It will be a little cheaper to buy in bulk, however, with a three-month supply costing $49.99. Opill.com will also sell a six-month supply for $89.99.
Although birth control pills are available to people with insurance without a copay due to the Affordable Care Act, not everyone wants their birth control pill to show up on their insurance, so they may choose to pay out of pocket.
Schmelter says Perrigo has also set up a patient assistance program for people who don't have insurance and can't afford Opill.
Who is this for?
This is for people who want to prevent pregnancy but perhaps aren't able to visit their health care provider to get a prescription. They may be in between medical appointments, or they may be teens who otherwise aren't able to access reproductive health care.
"It doesn't require a doctor's visit, which means it doesn't require time off work or potentially a babysitter or finding a doctor," Schmelter says. "You can walk into any local retailer and, in the family planning section, pick it up at your convenience."
"When it comes from Opill.com, the packaging will be discreet," Schmelter says. "It's nobody's business but your own."
veryGood! (67789)
Related
- Bo the police K-9, who located child taken at knifepoint, wins Hero Dog Awards 2024
- EU chief says investment plan for Western Balkan candidate members will require reforms
- UAW reaches tentative agreement with Stellantis, leaving only GM without deal
- Robert Brustein, theater critic and pioneer who founded stage programs for Yale and Harvard, dies
- Suspect arrested after deadly Tuskegee University homecoming shooting
- For Palestinian and Israeli Americans, war has made the unimaginable a reality
- A look back at Matthew Perry's life in photos
- China’s declining aid to Pacific islands increasingly goes to allies, think tank reports
- McDonald's Version: New Bestie Bundle meals celebrate Swiftie friendship bracelets
- Bryce Harper made a commitment. His 'remarkable' bond with Philadelphia can't be broken.
Ranking
- Today’s Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker and More React to Craig Melvin Replacing Hoda Kotb as Co-Anchor
- More than 1,000 pay tribute to Maine’s mass shooting victims on day of prayer, reflection and hope
- Coach Fabio Grosso hurt as Lyon team bus comes under attack before French league game at Marseille
- The war with Hamas pushed many Israeli dual citizens to leave the country. Here are stories of some who stayed.
- How Jersey Shore's Sammi Sweetheart Giancola's Fiancé Justin May Supports Her on IVF Journey
- General Motors, the lone holdout among Detroit Three, faces rising pressure and risks from strike
- American man indicted on murder charges over deadly attack on 2 U.S. women near German castle
- Busted boats, stronger storms: Florida fishers face warming waters
Recommendation
-
Early Week 11 fantasy football rankings: 30 risers and fallers
-
Live updates | Israel deepens military assault in the northern Gaza Strip
-
Matthew Perry's Friends community reacts to his death at 54
-
The best moments from Nate Bargatze's 'SNL' hosting gig
-
24 more monkeys that escaped from a South Carolina lab are recovered unharmed
-
St. Louis County prosecutor drops U.S. Senate bid, will instead oppose Cori Bush in House race
-
Mega Millions winning numbers for Oct. 27: See if you won the $137 million jackpot
-
Chrishell Stause’s Feud With Jason Oppenheim’s Ex Marie-Lou Nurk Will Make Your Jaw Drop