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F.D.A. Approves First U.S. Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/13/health/otc-birth-control-pill.html

The price of the pill, which has not been announced, will determine how affordable it will be when it becomes available in early 2024.

F.D.A. Approves First U.S. Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved a birth control pill to be sold without a prescription for the first time in the United States, a milestone that could significantly expand access to contraception.

Archive link: https://archive.ph/oPjro

33 comments

Jaysyn

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Good. Get fucked christofascists.

gamer

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inb4 “Minister General’s Warning” label becomes a thing

DarraignTheSane

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This is great, but christofascist-run states are just going to either straight outlaw it, or enact some kind of requirements making it virtually impossible to obtain anyway. A med being over the counter doesn't stop them from making it legally or at least practically unavailable.

MedicPigBabySaver

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It should be easy to get online though. No script? No problem!

BraveSirZaphod

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Additionally, state law enforcement very much does not have the authority to interfere with USPS without a warrant, and getting enough evidence to convince a judge to sign off on one will be nearly impossible. This is a huge win.

Nougat

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You're not wrong, but that's not a reason to throw up hands and give up. It will be available more readily to many more people now than it was before, and those christofascists you rightly refer to will have to, once again, demonstrate their true colors. Make them say the quiet parts out loud.

DarraignTheSane

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Absolutely.

chakan2

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The problem with that statement is these days, they're shouting the quiet part at the top of their lungs. They're proud of it.

Earthwormjim91

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They’ll require it to be truly “over the counter” as in behind the counter at the pharmacy and you have to ask for it. Like real Sudafed.

And then you’ll get the shitty pharmacists/techs that won’t sell it on “personal beliefs” grounds like plan B.

DarraignTheSane

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Exactly. But, as another person pointed out this does make it easily obtainable by delivery.

Earthwormjim91

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True, but that introduces a whole other set of hurdles.

For example teenagers with strict, religious, or abusive parents probably wouldn’t be able to get it delivered without their parents knowing. And those teenagers are one of the biggest groups that OTC birth control would benefit.

ScoobyDoo27

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Yes, everysingle decision made will have a negative impact to someone. This overall is much better than it was yesterday. Those same teenagers were in the same situation with a possibility of it being better. Let’s move on from finding some possibility that effects a super minority and poo poo the good news

Earthwormjim91

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Nobody is poo pooing anything. We’re pointing out the reality that the shithole red states will do everything they can to make sure the women who need this cannot get it. Just like they do with plan B and other contraception.

stringere

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And then you’ll get the shitty pharmacists/techs that won’t sell it on “personal beliefs” grounds like plan B.

I can't wait to see how that scenario plays out in court when there is a conflict between the pharmacist's beliefs and the customer's freedom of speech religious rights related to recent rulings. But I suppose given the precedent set by SCOTUS the pharmacist is allowed to disriminate based on their religious beliefs...yeah, it'll be interesting. I hope to see the christofascist efforts backfire by everyone else using their own shit tactics against them.

Cethin

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OTC means you could buy more than you need to give to someone else. If it just happens to end up in a state that banned it, then oh well I guess. Not my problem.

Corkyskog

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They will make importing it into the state a crime carrying 20 years. And the Supreme Court will shrug and say "what commerce clause?"

Cethin

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Maybe. Access will still be easier, illegal or not. It's like when states make fireworks illegal. People just go across the border to buy them and it's pretty much unenforceable. The numbers might be lower than if it were otherwise legal, but it's better than nothing.

BertramDitore

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Good, America did something civilized. Contraception and abortion should be widely available, free, and completely destigmatized.

857

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First, thank you for the archive link - I can only subscribe to so many newspapers, and these days the NYT isn't on my list of "Yes, I want these hot takes streamed directly to my inbox, and to pay for the pleasure."

Second, while I haven't seen the actual approval as yet, this is huge. Not just for adult women, but since we know damn well how humans behave, it's also significant for teenagers. I fully expect a stream of sensible parents to be purchasing this for their teenagers, and that's NOT a bad thing. It's also something the FDA certainly knew; or should have known, and approved it anyway which is a form of tacit consent.

One barrier to BC for teens has always been bringing it up - the doctor visit and a regular prescription can be a meaningful barrier to the lower-income households, and those are also the teenagers with bright futures who actively want to NOT have a baby and throw even more roadblocks in their own way later in life.

Article suggests there will also be the equivalent of a patient assistance program though details are unknown - that's significant as well, as it's quite rare in the OTC/BTC world as far as I'm aware. The mfg, of course, has to earn back the n millions of dollars they spent on any trials and the approval process, but they could hand it out for free to anyone with HH AGI under six figures and STILL amortize those costs. This is not an orphan drug, it's a way of life for a shitton of women and is frequently quite inexpensive as a prescription (YMMV on brand/generic and which particular pill ofc). It should damn well stay that way.

When this hits the market, anyone else want to help run a few truckloads into the places that need it the most? Not that I'm overwhelmingly anonymous on the internet, but... It's a way to actually effect some change instead of just being thoroughly annoyed that I'm surrounded by a sea of red, though I love my island-of-blue state... I've got neighbors like Iowa, Kentucky, Tennessee, you get the idea.

MicroWave

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The medication, called Opill, will become the most effective birth control method available over the counter — more effective at preventing pregnancy than condoms, spermicides and other nonprescription methods. Experts in reproductive health said its availability could be especially useful for young women, teenagers and those who have difficulty dealing with the time, costs or logistical hurdles involved in visiting a doctor to obtain a prescription.

pazukaza

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Cool, cool, but don't forget to also talk about its secondary effects. These pills shouldn't be popped for every encounter. It should be used for events like a condom breaking.

Edit: sorry, I assumed that this was a post-day pill. This is just a normal contraceptive, how the fuck are these not legally sold over the counter already? Sorry, not American.

kamiheku

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how the fuck are these not legally sold over the counter already? Sorry, not American.

Dunno where you live, but at least in Finland you do need a prescription for contraceptive pills, they're not sold OTC

Hazdaz

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GUARANTEE that this will quickly become a campaign issue in the coming months as Republicans will probably try to ban this if elected.

Nobody

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Good to see regulatory agencies evolving to deal with the crisis in reproductive health in America.

Turkey_Titty_city

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how much does it cost?

TellMeWendigo

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Hasn't been announced yet

ezchili

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Wow, we don't even have that in France yet

scrapeus

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I see why this is a good step in current distopia America.

But I think hormone therapies should not go unsupervised. I mean in Germany and I think whole Europe we have a pretty big problem with early and easy prescription of those. And those are supervised.

But seeing the cost of healthcare, this is better than nothing.

ivanafterall

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