The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Opill as an over-the-counter daily birth control pill. The drug will most likely become available in stores and online starting in early 2024 for women of all ages.
It is more than 90 percent effective at preventing pregnancies, making it more effective than other over-the-counter contraceptives like condoms or spermicides.
Reproductive rights activists said the decision could vastly expand access to contraceptives, particularly in rural areas where young women deal with logistical issues like meeting with a provider and obtaining a prescription.
But if Opill’s cost at the counter is financially prohibitive, then improvements in contraceptive access may not be quite as expansive as hoped.
Opill manufacturer Perrigo has yet to disclose what the retail price for the product will be, though it said in a statement that the drug will be “accessible and affordable to women and people of all ages.” A company executive told reporters there will be a patient assistance program to help people who want the drug but are struggling financially.
But even a small cost burden can present a significant barrier and make a drug inaccessible. A KFF survey from 2022 found nearly 40 percent of reproductive aged women surveyed would be willing and able to pay between $1 and $10 a month, but only about 16 percent would be willing and able to pay more than $20.
For example, the first OTC hearing aids were approved last year, but the average cost was significantly higher than what people would have paid with insurance coverage.
Opill has been available with a prescription for 50 years. The Affordable Care Act requires insurers to cover at least one prescription contraceptive as part of their benefits, but not any over-the-counter medication.
So barring any policy change, the retail price will determine how easily people can get it.
The White House has directed agencies to consider ways to cover the cost of birth control. President Biden also asked the relevant agencies to draft guidance for best practices for providing “seamless coverage” of OTC birth control.
