FDA to Consider Perrigo's OTC Bid for Birth Control Med, Opill-M

 FDA to Consider Perrigo's OTC Bid for Birth Control Med, Opill-M

Introduction

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to hear Perrigo's over-the-counter (OTC) bid for its birth control medication, Opill-M. Perrigo, a leading global healthcare supplier, is seeking approval to sell the medication without a prescription, making it more accessible to women across the United States. The OTC medication could be a game-changer for women who struggle to access affordable birth control, especially those without health insurance. In this article, we will explore Perrigo's OTC bid for Opill-M and the potential impact it could have on women's health.

What is Opill-M?

Opill-M is a birth control medication that contains 150mcg of levonorgestrel, a progestin hormone that prevents pregnancy by stopping the release of eggs from the ovary. Opill-M is an emergency contraceptive pill that can be taken up to 72 hours after unprotected sex. It is considered safe and effective and has been approved by the FDA for prescription use since 1999.

What is Perrigo's OTC bid for Opill-M?

Perrigo is seeking FDA approval to sell Opill-M without a prescription. If successful, it will become the first OTC emergency contraceptive pill in the United States. Perrigo believes that making Opill-M available OTC will increase access to affordable birth control, especially for women who do not have health insurance or who live in areas where there are limited healthcare services.

The Benefits of an OTC Emergency Contraceptive Pill

An OTC emergency contraceptive pill could have several benefits for women's health. Firstly, it would improve access to affordable birth control, reducing the number of unintended pregnancies. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 45% of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended, with the highest rates among low-income women and women of color. An OTC emergency contraceptive pill could help to reduce these rates by making it easier for women to access affordable birth control when they need it.

Secondly, an OTC emergency contraceptive pill could help to reduce the number of abortions in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 614,820 abortions in the United States in 2018. An OTC emergency contraceptive pill could help to reduce this number by providing women with a safe and effective method of preventing unintended pregnancies.

Thirdly, an OTC emergency contraceptive pill could help to reduce the number of emergency room visits related to unintended pregnancies. According to a study published in the Journal of Women's Health, there were over 1.6 million emergency room visits related to unintended pregnancies in the United States between 2006 and 2010. An OTC emergency contraceptive pill could help to reduce these visits by providing women with a safe and effective method of preventing unintended pregnancies.

The Potential Challenges of an OTC Emergency Contraceptive Pill

While an OTC emergency contraceptive pill could have several benefits, it could also face several challenges. Firstly, an OTC emergency contraceptive pill could be more expensive than a prescription medication. According to a report by the National Women's Law Center, the average cost of an emergency contraceptive pill with a prescription is $45, while the average cost without a prescription is $58. An OTC emergency contraceptive pill could be more expensive, making it harder for low-income women to access affordable birth control.

Secondly, an OTC emergency contraceptive pill could face resistance from conservative groups who believe that it promotes promiscuity and undermines traditional values. These groups could lobby against the FDA's approval of an OTC emergency contraceptive pill, making it harder for women to access affordable birth control.