Opill, the first oral contraceptive approved for over-the-counter use in the United States, will be available in stores and online this month

The first-ever over-the-counter birth control pill is headed for store shelves later this month. It was approved by the FDA last July and is available for pre-order from online retailers now.

The product, Opill, is 98% effective and costs about $20 for a 30-day supply. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $19.99 is for a one-month supply and $49.99 for a three-month supply. Perrigo is the company behind the product. Once the product hits shelves, anyone can buy it without a prescription. It will also be available at Opill.com. Walgreens and CVS have said they will offer the product.

Under the Affordable Care Act, most insurance plans are required to offer coverage of birth control with no out-of-pocket cost, so it is essentially a free birth control option.

Do you think not needing a prescription for a product like this will help lower the approximately 6.1 million pregnancies in the U.S. each year are unintended? (Statistic from the FDA)

Susan Saunders 3/4/24