GR-based company puts over-the-counter birth control on shelves
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Women in West Michigan will soon be able to walk into some drugstores and buy birth control pills without a prescription.
Earlier this month, Grand Rapids-based drug manufacturer Perrigo announced it was preparing to launch the nation’s first over-the-counter birth control, Opill. The company began shipping the medication to “major retailers and pharmacies” in early March.
The pill is already available for purchase online, but now, drugstores like CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid are preparing to sell the pill both online and in stores.
In a statement sent to News 8, CVS wrote:
“Opill will be available at CVS.com and through the CVS Pharmacy app on March 21. In early April more than 7,500 CVS Pharmacy stores will offer Opill and for added privacy and convenience, customers will be able to choose same-day delivery or buy online and pick-up in store.
First over-the-counter birth control pill in US begins shipping to stores
One-month and three-month packs of Opill will be available on Rite Aid shelves starting in the first week of April and Walgreens stated its stores would carry Opill once shipments come in.
Opill was first approved as a prescription drug in 1973, but required years of testing to determine if it was safe enough to be sold without a doctor’s order.
“I think the biggest hurdle that women have faced in the last years have been access to healthcare,” Marissa Roslyn-Clark, a women’s and reproductive health nurse practitioner with Corewell.
Prior to Opill, women have always needed a prescription for birth control, which Clark believes has created barriers.
“You have to take time off of work, find childcare, find a practitioner that you have a rapport with, have a relationship with, someone that you want to see on a regular basis, and you have to make appointments during the workday,” she explained.
According to the CDC, from 2017-2019, 65.3% of women aged 15-49 were using contraception in the United States. Oral contraceptives were the second most common method.
Opill is approved for women of all reproductive ages and is a progestin-only pill, also known as a mini pill or POP.
First over-the-counter birth control pill in US begins shipping to stores
“What the progesterone does is it can it keeps you from ovulating so your body doesn’t release the egg which can then become implanted and fertilized and then you become pregnant,” she explained.
It also changes the cervical mucus to become an uninhabitable environment and thins the uterine lining.
Clark added that this option is good for anyone who is hesitant to be on estrogen or can’t be on estrogen. That includes people who experience migraines, have high blood pressure, are breastfeeding, and smokers over 35 years old.
“You should definitely talk to your practitioner — whether it be your doctor, nurse practitioner, physician assistant — your medical provider definitely can give you insight on what would be the best form of contraception for you and the best fit for both your lifestyle and family and personal risk factors.”
Opill is most effective when taken at the same time every day without placebo or off weeks. If used correctly, it is said to be 98% effective at preventing pregnancy.
You can currently purchase the pill directly from the website and on Amazon. A one-month supply costs $19.99, while three and six-month supplies are $49.99 and $89.99, respectively. You do not need insurance to purchase the pill.
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