(Reuters) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the over-the-counter use of Perrigo’s contraceptive drug, making it the first non-prescription birth control pill in the United States.
The availability of Opill without prescription could allow people to obtain an oral contraceptive without the need to first see a health care provider, the FDA said.
The timeline for availability and price is determined by the manufacturer, the FDA said. Perrigo did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on pricing.
Contraceptives have been in focus since the U.S. Supreme Court last year overturned the constitutional right to terminate pregnancies as it scrapped a landmark ruling in the 1973 Roe vs. Wade case.
(Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)