Birth control pills are one step closer to being available over the counter
There are likely several reasons that it’s taken years for pharmaceutical companies to get to this point, says Kelly Blanchard, president of Ibis Reproductive Health, a research and advocacy group that has worked closely with HRA Pharma. First, there has been an overall trend of large pharmaceutical companies reducing their investment in women’s health, and especially in contraceptives.
The FDA has said it aims to make a decision within 10 months once a company submits an application to move a drug from prescription to over-the-counter status, so HRA Pharma expects to know whether its pill is approved in the first half of 2023. One remaining question will be the pill’s cost. It’s too soon to know the exact price, but HRA Pharma has started discussions with retailers, Welgryn says, and it plans to create a program that would offer financial assistance. “We’re committed to making the pill affordable for all those who need it,” she says.
While the Affordable Care Act requires that most health insurance plans cover all FDA-approved birth control methods without out-of-pocket costs, most insurers only cover birth control that is prescribed by a health care provider. that aims to require insurers to cover over-the-counter birth control, and Ibis Reproductive Health plans to advocate for insurers to cover the new pill if the FDA approves it.
Still, while HRA Pharma’s application marks a significant milestone in birth control access in the United States, Welgryn emphasizes that even if the FDA approves their application, the pill isn’t a panacea. “We know that people need access to the full range of reproductive health care,” she says, “and that includes contraception, that includes abortion, that includes the whole range of what women need to control their reproductive life.
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