The U.S. Food and Drug Administration unanimously voted Wednesday in favor of recommending the first-ever over-the-counter birth control pill, saying benefits outweigh risks. The vote is a major step in a long push to make oral contraception obtainable over the counter in the United States.
“I think this represents a landmark in our history of women’s health. Unwanted pregnancies can really derail a woman’s life, and especially an adolescent’s life,” said Dr. Margery Gass of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, another committee member. “So I’m very pleased that the FDA is seriously considering this. And I look forward to it being on the market.”
If approved, the pill would be sold by Perrigo under the brand name Opill.
“Perrigo is proud to lead the way in making contraception more accessible to women in the U.S.,” said Murray Kessler, Perrigo’s president and CEO.
FDA advisers said the benefits of the pill outweigh the risks in the vote, and that women could safely and effectively take the pill without the guidance of a health professional.
“I feel that the risk of unintended pregnancy is lower with this approach than any of the other available contraceptive approaches that women have access to without seeing a health care provider,” said Dr. Deborah Armstrong, a professor of oncology, gynecology and obstetrics at Johns Hopkins.
In other headlines:
CP: Late night food in Charleston is hard to find. Finding food options past 10 p.m. in Charleston is a rare find, but not impossible, as some places are starting to offer bites late into the evening.
West Ashley bridge to close nightly for construction. The South Carolina Department of Transportation is closing southbound lanes on the West Ashley Bridge overnight from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. for the next one to two weeks.
Charleston grocery delivery to expand to Columbia. Lowcountry Street Grocery, a for-profit company that offers a subscription-based delivery service is expanding to Columbia to help make the local food economy more “equitable, convenient and scalable.”
James Island septic and sewer tank project to cost millions. The James Island Public Service District will begin work to replace septic tanks and connect sewer lines in the Clarks Point neighborhood and along Oak Point Road. The project is expected to finish in December 2026 and expected to cost $10.3 million.
Mount Pleasant approves $109M budget. The town council unanimously approved a $109 million budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year that includes pay raises for employees and a property tax hike.
- To get dozens of South Carolina news stories every business day, contact the folks at SC Clips.
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