Over the Counter Birth Control Could Be Happening VERY Soon
Birth control was one of the greatest inventions of the last century, opening up a world of possibilities to women. In recent years, we’ve had even more innovation, with birth control you can order directly from your phone. While men haven’t been able to handle testing of birth control, leaving us to continue being in charge of it, our ability to get our pills is going to get a whole lot easier, if one pharmaceutical company has its way.
According to Vox, French pharmaceutical company HRA Pharma has decided to take on the monumental task of applying to the FDA to make this option readily available to those who need birth control stateside. In the past, the amount of work required of a company in order to have an OTC medication approved has kept companies from applying to the FDA.
HRA’s petition is for a progestin-only pill, which should help their application, considering that emergency contraception, which is FDA approved already, is progestin-only. Progestin-only pills are easier to prescribe to a wider range of users, as opposed to traditional estrogen and progestin pills that can carry increased risks for older users or those who still smoke.
While it may take a few more years before these pills are actually available over the counter, this is definitely a huge step in the right direction, and we’re looking forward to seeing more birth control options available to all birth control users in the US.
Would you use an over the counter contraceptive? Tell us @BritandCo!
(Photos via Laura Johansen, areeya_ann/Getty)
