The New York Times reports that retailers soon will be able to sell the first nonprescription birth control pill in the United States, at a price of $19.99 a month.
The story points out that “the medication, called Opill, which was approved for over-the-counter sale by the Food and Drug Administration last year, will be the most effective birth control method available without a prescription, research shows — more effective than condoms, spermicides and other nonprescription methods.
“Reproductive health experts said that its availability could be especially useful for teenagers, young women, and others who have difficulty dealing with the time, costs or logistical hurdles involved in visiting a doctor to obtain a prescription … Opill is not a new medication — it was approved for prescription use 50 years ago. Reproductive health experts and members of an F.D.A. advisory panel cited its long history of safety and efficacy. It is 93 percent effective at preventing pregnancy with typical use.”
KC’s View:
I hope that the OTC availability of this medication will not prove to be a flashpoint in the culture wars in a way that affects retailers. But I suspect that in some markets it will be. Retailers that carry it may be targeted by some, and retailers that decide not to carry it will be targeted by others.
Be prepared.
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