typically does. However, FDA officials have voiced some misgivings about over-the-counter access to birth control pills.
Opill was first up for over-the-counter review in November 2022, but the FDA delayed a decision to review additional information. The FDA is expected to decide on Opill by the end of the summer, and this decision won’t apply to other birth control pills.
What are the side effects?
In briefing documents filed before the meeting, the agency raised concerns about whether people will use these pills appropriately. The label suggests that pills must be taken at the same time every day, and there isn’t enough information about what could happen if someone misses this window. There’s also a risk of breast cancer and undiagnosed vaginal bleeding with this pill, and some concern that people won’t be able to evaluate these safety risks for themselves.
But those fears did not sway the advisory panel.
“The panel expresses confidence in the effectiveness, not only in the general population of females, but also in adolescent populations and those with limited literacy,” said panel chairwoman Maria Coyle, a pharmacist and an associate clinical professor at Ohio State University, the AP reported. “The panel seems very comfortable with the limited number of risks from the medication itself.”
Dr. Kristyn Brandi, ACOG’s Darney-Landy Fellow and an obstetrician/gynecologist in Newark, N.J., believes Opill should be sold over the counter.
“I trust my patients to read the label, read the box, and take the medication they need,” she said during a Monday media briefing held by the Free the Pill coalition.
The risks are incredibly low, Brandi says. Side effects may include breast tenderness, acne, headache, or bloating, among others.
The one major contraindication for this pill is having active breast cancer.
But “the vast majority of people with active breast cancer are already seeing several health care providers who will have the conversation with them about birth control,” Brandi adds.
The FDA also cited concerns that the pill may not be as effective in people who are overweight or obese, but Brandi does not think that this will or should be an issue. “We don’t do anything different for patients that are obese who take the pill [via prescription],” she says.
Making a birth control pill available without a prescription is even more important in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade last June, a decision which eliminated the constitutional right to terminate pregnancies, kicking the issue back to the states.
“People are already facing barriers to the reproductive health care that they need and deserve,” Brandi noted. “Over-the-counter access to contraception is not a solution to abortion bans, but increasing access to contraception will help more folks be able to prevent pregnancy… and the value of this can’t be overstated.”
RELATED: After Roe v. Wade Overturned, How to Find Affordable Birth Control
Choosing the right birth control
There isn’t one method of birth control that’s right for everyone. Each type of birth control has pros and cons.
Here are some things to think about when choosing a birth control method:
- Do you want to have children someday? How soon?
- Do you have any health conditions?
- How often do you have sex?
- How many sex partners do you have?
- Do you also need protection from HIV and other STDs?
- How well does the birth control method work?
- Are there any side effects?
- Will you be able to use it correctly every time?
By thinking these questions over and having a conversation with your doctor, you can make an informed decision that is best for you.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists offers more on choosing the best birth control method.