(CNN) — The US Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the birth control pill Opill to be available over-the-counter — the first nonprescription birth control pill in the United States. Kelly Blanchard with Ibis Reproductive Health, a sexual and reproductive health research organization that has advocated for over-the-counter birth control pills, said at the briefing that it is crucial that insurance covers Opill. The FDA has faced pressure to allow Opill to go over-the-counter from lawmakers as well as health care providers. About 45% of women experienced at least one barrier to reproductive health care services in 2021, up 10% from 2017. A group of advisers to the FDA recommended in May that Opill be approved for over-the-counter use.

Source: CNN July 14, 2023 04:07 UTC