Frequently Asked Questions
-
Despite 60+ years of proven safety and effectiveness, people still face barriers when accessing birth control pills in the United States. In addition to the current prescription status, barriers include but are not limited to:
Not having a regular health care provider
Time away from school or work to visit a provider
Transportation to a provider’s office
The cost of a provider visit
Lack of insurance coverage
These barriers disproportionately impact people of color and Indigenous peoples, young people, immigrants, LGBTQ+ folks, people with disabilities, and those working to make ends meet due to systemic inequities in our health care system. Making birth control pills available over the counter will help give people more equitable access to the tools they need to control their reproductive health and lives.
-
Birth control pills are already available over the counter in more than 100 countries and it’s time for the United States to join that list.
-
A pharmaceutical company must submit an Rx-to-OTC switch application to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting to change a prescription-only medication like birth control pills to be available over the counter. Through the FDA process, an application would need to be submitted for each birth control pill formulation for it to be considered for OTC use.
Learn more about the FDA application and review process →
In July 2022, HRA Pharma announced that it submitted the first-ever application to the FDA to switch Opill, a progestin-only, daily birth control pill from prescription to over-the-counter status.
-
All birth control pills, including progestin-only pills and combined oral contraceptives (which contain both progestin and estrogen), are safe and highly effective at preventing pregnancy and have other health benefits too. Studies show that people can easily self-screen to determine if birth control pills are right for them.
Major medical organizations like the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Medical Association support making birth control pills available over the counter because they are safe, effective, and beneficial to overall health and well-being.
Learn more about medical expert support for OTC birth control pills →
-
All birth control pills are safe and highly effective at preventing pregnancy. Decades of research and experience show that birth control pills are safe and effective for over-the-counter use by both adults and young people.
Plus, evidence shows that contraindications to birth control pills are rarer among young people compared to adults. Young people should have the resources they need to plan their futures and take care of their health, including access to the birth control method of their choice, free from barriers or stigma.
-
There are many formulations of birth control pills. Through the FDA process, an application would need to be submitted for each birth control pill formulation for it to be considered for over-the-counter use. The first-ever application for an OTC birth control pill submitted to the FDA is for a progestin-only pill; however, we anticipate that other formulations will follow. While your specific pill brand may not move over the counter at this time, no unique formulation of combined oral contraceptives or progestin-only pills has been shown to be more effective at preventing pregnancy than any other.
-
Birth control pills aren’t one-size-fits-all. Some birth control pills contain both estrogen and progestin (known as combined oral contraceptives or COCs) and some contain only progestin (known as progestin-only pills or POPs). All birth control pills are safe and highly effective at preventing pregnancy, but because POPs don’t contain estrogen, they may be safer for people with certain health conditions. Studies show that people can refer to the pill label and determine whether they have any health conditions that might make taking birth control pills less safe or less effective, and consult with a pharmacist or other health care provider if they have any questions.
-
There is strong interest in OTC birth control pills among adults and teens. The most recent data shows that 77% of women of reproductive age would support OTC access to birth control pills if the FDA said it was safe and effective. In a 2015 nationally representative survey, 39% of adults and 29% of teens would likely use an OTC birth control pill if available, with even greater likelihood if covered by insurance. And in a 2011 national survey, 33% of women currently using a less effective birth control method (like condoms alone) and 28% of women using no method said they were very or somewhat likely to start using the pill if it were available OTC.
In a recent Teen Vogue poll, 76% of young people ages 18-34 said birth control should be freely available with no prescription required. In another survey, 73% of young people ages 14-17 said they supported OTC access to birth control pills, and 61% said they would likely use OTC birth control pills.
-
Major medical organizations like the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Medical Association support making birth control pills available over the counter because they are safe, effective, and beneficial to overall health and well-being.
Learn more about medical expert support for OTC birth control pills →
-
Over-the-counter access to birth control pills is not a replacement for insurance coverage of contraceptives.
Under the Affordable Care Act (also known as the ACA or “Obamacare”), most private insurance plans are required to cover FDA-approved methods of contraception without cost-sharing (e.g., deductible, copayment). However, barriers may still exist because insurers can require a prescription to obtain insurance coverage of birth control pills.
The Affordability is Access Act, reintroduced in 2022, would remove that prescription requirement and prohibit retailers that sell OTC birth control pills from interfering with people who try to purchase them. It would also ensure any FDA-approved OTC contraception is covered by private insurance without a prescription.
But beyond insurance coverage, it is critical that any future OTC birth control pill is priced affordably so that people who do not have or cannot use insurance can still access the care they need and want.
-
Birth control pills offer a range of health benefits. In addition to being highly effective in preventing pregnancy, birth control pills can also help reduce pain and heavy bleeding associated with periods, prevent acne and anemia, and reduce the risk of certain cancers.
-
No, those states have passed legislation to make birth control pills available with a pharmacist’s prescription. This model is a step in the right direction, but the potential cost associated with a pharmacist consultation as well as limited pharmacy hours may still stand in the way of people getting the care they need and want.
In addition, the pharmacist-prescribing model can only happen one state at a time and is only available in a limited number of states. We need broader access—an FDA-approved over-the-counter birth control pill would have immediate and sweeping benefits for millions across the country.
-
While the growth and popularity of the online-prescribing model has helped to broaden access and shows that people are eager to access their birth control in new ways and with fewer obstacles, this model is only available in certain states. Being able to grab a pack of birth control pills right off the shelf anywhere across the country would be a game changer.