Happy Birthday, Opill: Reflecting on the Movement to Free the Pill and Envisioning a Future with More OTC Contraceptive Options

In recognition of the second anniversary of Opill’s launch in the United States, this blog post was authored by Victoria Nichols, Senior Project Director of Free the Pill at Ibis Reproductive Health.

This month marks two years since the first-ever over-the-counter (OTC) birth control pill launched in the United States (US). Now that Opill, a progestin-only birth control pill, is on shelves nationwide we have a highly effective, daily contraceptive option that doesn’t require getting a prescription or waiting for an appointment with a provider. The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of Opill in July 2023 was historic, and the story behind the approval offers important lessons that can inform efforts to bring other birth control methods OTC as well.