Birth control pills are popular and safe. However, many people are unable to access this crucial piece of healthcare. The pill must be made available without prescriptions.
As we face a reproductive health crisis in this country, we need all the tools available at our disposal to care for ourselves and our families without unnecessary barriers.
Birth control is an essential part of healthcare. Access to over-the-counter birth control pills would give each of us more resources to take care of our health.
The Free the Pill coalition has been advocating for expanded access to birth control pills for decades and is leading a movement-driven effort to bring them over the counter in the United States.
Despite their safety and popularity, people still face many barriers to getting a prescription for birth control pills, including the cost of a healthcare provider’s visit, transportation to get to and from the appointment, lack of insurance coverage, and finding childcare during the appointment.
These barriers fall hardest on people of color, Indigenous communities, young people, LGBTQ+ folks, people with disabilities, and those working to make ends meet. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Progress pending approval
After years of rigorous research and advocacy by reproductive justice organizers, advocates, youth activists, healthcare providers, and researchers, the first-ever application for an over-the-counter birth control pill in the United States is now before the Food and Drug Administration.
If approved, this would expand access to care and break down some of the barriers to birth control.
However, simply being available over the counter isn’t enough. An over-the-counter birth control pill must be priced affordably, fully covered by insurance, and available to people of all ages to ensure equitable access.
The pill is one of the best-studied medicines on the market today, and decades of research and experience show it’s safe and effective for over-the-counter use.
Leading medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Medical Association, and the American Academy of Family Physicians, support making birth control pills available over the counter.
Access to a full range of reproductive healthcare is crucial to caring for ourselves and our families. That includes access to over-the-counter birth control pills.
Learn more at freethepill.org.