#opill

sharing the Opill zine that the Reproductive Freedom Fund of New Hampshire made this year. please print, fold, & distribute! many local, grassroots abortion funds have Opill for free but it can be purchased at most pharmacies + on the Opill website

want to distribute your zines somewhere local? pin an open envelope to a bulletin board. libraries, book stores, town halls, gyms, coffee shops, & many small businesses have public bulletins

The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved a birth control pill to be sold without a prescription for the first time in the United States, a milestone that could significantly expand access to contraception.

The medication, called Opill, will become the most effective birth control method available over the counter — more effective at preventing pregnancy than condoms, spermicides and other nonprescription methods. Experts in reproductive health said its availability could be especially useful for young women, teenagers and those who have difficulty dealing with the time, costs or logistical hurdles involved in visiting a doctor to obtain a prescription.

The pill’s manufacturer, Perrigo Company, based in Dublin, said Opill would most likely become available from stores and online retailers in the United States in early 2024.

The company did not say how much the medication would cost — a key question that will help determine how many people will use the pill — but Frédérique Welgryn, Perrigo’s global vice president for women’s health, said in a statement that the company was committed to making the pill “accessible and affordable to women and people of all ages.” Ms. Welgryn has also said the company would have a consumer assistance program to provide the pill at no cost to some women.

"Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Opill (norgestrel) tablet for nonprescription use to prevent pregnancy— the first daily oral contraceptive approved for use in the U.S. without a prescription. Approval of this progestin-only oral contraceptive pill provides an option for consumers to purchase oral contraceptive medicine without a prescription at drug stores, convenience stores and grocery stores, as well as online.  

The timeline for availability and price of this nonprescription product is determined by the manufacturer. Other approved formulations and dosages of other oral contraceptives will remain available by prescription only. 

A one-month supply of Opill, the over-the-counter birth control pill, will cost $19.99, pill manufacturer Perrigo announced March 4, 2024. A three-month supply will cost $49.99.

The pill will be available in retail pharmacies starting in late March, the company said. Both Walgreens and CVS will carry Opill.