Could Over The Counter Birth Control Be Available At Pharmacies?
In many nations, like Turkey, Mexico, and South Korea, regular birth control pills are already sold without a prescription. In the United States, we are gradually beginning to give women more access to birth control options without a prescription.
The non-prescription emergency contraception Plan B One-Step, which can prevent pregnancy, became accessible in 2013 (“over-the-counter” or OTC) without an ID or age restriction. It was a positive step toward the OTC approval of other birth control options.
How Can Birth Control Be Available OTC?
OTC contraceptives can typically be purchased if they satisfy the following requirements listed by the FDA:
- You can correctly determine your requirement for OTC medication without the aid of a healthcare professional.
- The OTC medication can be successfully and safely used by you without the help of a healthcare professional.
- The likelihood of the OTC product being abused or misused is quite low.
The contraindications of the tablets are probably one of the obstacles to OTC birth control. A medicine may not be used if there are contraindications. For instance, if you have uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure) or if you smoke and are over 35 years old, you shouldn’t take combination hormonal birth control. A history of blood clots or breast cancer may be additional reasons not to use combination hormonal birth control. If you have a history of breast cancer, you should also avoid hormonal medications that contain progestin.
Birth control pills are well known for their effectiveness and safety, despite the fact that there are some contraindications. Women can safely identify contraindications on their own by following a checklist. This encourages women to have access to over-the-counter birth contraception.
Where Can I Buy Birth Control Pills Without A Prescription In The United States?
Women in Oregon, California, and Washington, D.C., can obtain birth control simply by going to their neighborhood pharmacies. Additionally, 17 other states provide women with this access.
Birth control pills do not yet have OTC status in these states. However, to obtain or renew your prescription, you are not required to visit the doctor. After completing a brief questionnaire and speaking with your pharmacist, you can get oral contraceptives in no time.
Many other states, such as Kansas and Missouri, are adopting legislation to provide women with easier access to birth control pills. With the help of these bills, your pharmacist would be able to provide you with your birth control medication without a prescription from you.9