The first daily birth control pill without a prescription will soon be available on store shelves. Perrigo, the maker of Opill, started shipping to drug stores across the U.S. on Monday.
In July of 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the Opill tablet for non-prescription use to prevent pregnancy, becoming the first daily oral contraceptive approved for use in the country without a prescription.
Consumers can now purchase the progestin-only oral contraceptive at drug stores, convenience stores, and grocery stores, as well as online.
Naomi Waak, a physician assistant at Atown Family Med, recommends consumers still consult with a doctor.
“I have a lot of problems trying to figure out the dose and the type of progesterone or the type of estrogen that I'm getting patients when they're coming in with their complaints and side effects, or they stopped taking it because they felt bad, or they didn’t stop taking it and they felt bad," Waak said about the complexity of taking an oral contraceptive. "I don't know how that will happen by themselves.”
A one-month supply of the pill retails for $19.99 while a three-month supply retails for $49.99.
The company is working on a cost-assistance program for people without insurance coverage, as California is one of seven states with laws requiring insurers to cover over-the-counter birth control pills.
