Over-the-counter birth control medication will be on pharmacy shelves as soon as late March.
Pharmaceutical manufacturer Perrigo announced on Monday that its progestin-only birth control pill, Opill, has already been shipped to retailers and pharmacies across the United States and “will be available on shelves nationwide and online later this month.”
“We [Perrigo] champion the right of women and people to determine their own sexual health journey and the availability of Opill over-the-counter is truly a historic moment of which our entire organization can be proud,” company Executive Vice President Triona Schmelter said on Monday.
The Food and Drug Administration approved Opill for OTC use in July 2023, making it the first oral contraceptive on the market available directly to consumers without a physician’s prescription.
An FDA advisory panel in May 2023 unanimously supported the proposal to grant OTC approval to the Irish-based company’s product following clinical trial data demonstrating that users are able to successfully follow through with the medication as directed without the consultation of physicians.
Opill is 98% effective at preventing pregnancy when taken as directed. Approximately 45% of pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended.
In January, a group of women’s rights advocates and reproductive health specialists associated with the Free the Pill Coalition petitioned Perrigro to lower the price of the drug to “no more than $15 for a three-month supply.”
“A retail price of $15 for a 3-month supply would help ensure that this groundbreaking product is affordable for those who face the most barriers to access, many of whom are also those with the least ability to pay,” the coalition wrote.
The manufacturer suggested retail price of Opill is $19.99 for a one-month supply and $49.99 for a three-month supply. Consumers can buy three-month or six-month supplies of Opill directly from the manufacturer at Opill.com, and the drug may be reimbursable through flex spending or health savings accounts.
Perrigro also said there will be a cost-assistance program “to help qualified low-income, uninsured individuals obtain Opill at low or no cost.”
