Opill, First Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill, to Hit US Market

Facts

Following its approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Opill, the over-the-counter birth control pill manufactured by Dublin-based company Perrigo, is expected to hit the US market later this month.¹
Perrigo said it will begin shipping pre-orders of Opill 'this week,' adding that one-month, three-month, and six-month packs will be sold for $19.99, $49.99, and $89.99, respectively. The six-month pack will be sold on Opill.com.²
Opill, which will also be available in over 7.5K CVS pharmacies and the CVS website, was previously approved on a prescription basis before the FDA allowed it to hit store shelves last July.³
Opill is often called a mini pill because it only contains progestin and no estrogen. It's said to start working 48 hours after the first dose and is 98% effective in preventing pregnancy if taken correctly. Side effects can include headaches, bloating, and cramping.⁴
This comes while the federal Affordable Care Act only requires health insurance companies to cover prescription birth control but not over-the-counter.³
Reproductive rights activists continue to call for over-the-counter approval for combined progestin-estrogen pills, such as Yaz, because those are more popular.¹

Left narrative, as provided by Center for American Progress. This was a historic achievement on behalf of millions of women and their reproductive rights. Now it's up to pharmaceutical companies and US lawmakers to use the available financial data and ensure these life-saving pills are affordable for everyone.
Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Fortune. Big Pharma continues to ruin the contraceptive industry by producing and distributing contraception with unpopular side effects — some that have dangerous impacts. Instead of churning out unpopular pills, the pharmaceutical industry must invest its profits in research and development for healthier, non-hormonal pills.