Today, the Biden-Harris Administration made significant progress on their commitment to expanding access to affordable contraception by proposing a new federal rule that would expand access to birth control under the Affordable Care Act by covering over-the-counter birth control without a prescription or cost sharing and requiring insurance plans to share information about this coverage with consumers. The rule also requires plans to cover all contraceptive methods without a therapeutic equivalent, helping more people obtain their preferred method without out-of-pocket costs. This proposed rule comes after the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and the Treasury issued a Request for Information on insurance coverage for preventive services last year, which received nearly 400 comments–including comments from Ibis Reproductive Health, the Free the Pill coalition, and many coalition members.

Today, in a historic move for reproductive health that could transform contraceptive access, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Opill, a progestin-only birth control pill (POP), for over-the-counter (OTC) use. After a comprehensive review of the data and a unanimous advisory committee vote to recommend Opill for over-the-counter status, the FDA followed the science and made a decision that will expand contraceptive access for those who face the greatest barriers to care. The United States will now join over 100 countries where birth control pills are available without a prescription.

Last Friday, the Biden Administration issued an executive order on “Strengthening Access to Affordable, High-Quality Contraception and Family Planning Services”. The executive order includes an explicit directive to the Secretaries of the Treasury, Labor, and HHS to explore ways to improve access and affordability for over-the-counter (OTC) contraception. This is welcome news that we hope will help advance contraceptive equity. We look forward to the administration taking action to meet the president's directives and address the systemic barriers that have for too long kept people from accessing the care they want and need.

Today, in a landmark step for reproductive health, a joint FDA advisory committee voted unanimously to allow a birth control pill to be offered over the counter (OTC). The advisory committee vote reflects the decades of science showing that birth control pills are safe and effective of over-the-counter use for people of all ages.

The FDA announced today that an advisory committee meeting is scheduled for May 9 and 10 to review the first-ever application for an over-the-counter birth control pill. In July 2022, HRA Pharma announced it had submitted this application to the FDA to switch Opill, a progestin-only, daily birth control pill, from prescription to over-the-counter status.

We are frustrated and deeply disappointed by the FDA’s delay of the advisory committee meeting to discuss the application to move a progestin-only birth control pill over the counter (OTC). Birth control pills are safe and effective, and over-the-counter availability would expand equitable access to care. Given the decades of evidence and science showing that oral contraception is safe and effective for over-the-counter use, coupled with the urgency of the need, this delay is unnecessary and unjustified.

For nearly two decades, Ibis Reproductive Health has led a coalition-driven effort involving more than 100 reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations, research and advocacy groups, youth activists, health care providers, prominent medical and health professional associations, regulatory experts, and others to build the evidence base and grow support for bringing birth control pills over the counter (OTC) in the United States for people of all ages.