77% of Females Favor Making Birth Control Pills Available OTC

In a post-Roe world, healthcare professionals, public health experts, and industry leaders are looking to empower people to take charge of their reproductive health. With limited access to abortion care and fear associated with the potentially life-saving medical procedure, widening access to birth control has become increasingly important to those assigned females at birth. The 2022 Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) Women’s Health Survey found that 77% of females who self-identify as female and are of reproductive age favor making birth control pills available over the counter (OTC).

The survey included 5,201 females who completed it between May 10, 2022, and June 7, 2022. The data was collected through a web or phone survey. Of the 77% who favor the OTC of daily oral contraceptives, 56% strongly prefer the policy. The other 21% somewhat favor the approach. These responses were independent of whether or not they would opt for it.

Beyond this general data, the survey also found that those who had used an oral contraceptive in the past year were approximately 8% more likely to favor OTC sales.

The results of this survey echo the pleas of many healthcare organizations, including the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). On June 15, 2022, before the overturning of Roe v. Wade but amid heightened uncertainty around reproductive health, the AMA put forth a statement urging the FDA to approve the over-the-counter sale of oral contraceptives.

Nearly a month later, on July 11, 2022, HRA Pharma submitted an application to the FDA to make its progestin-only daily birth control pill, Opill, available OTC. The approval process to transition this medication from prescription to OTC could take ten months. However, if approved, it will be the first daily oral contraceptive available over the counter in the United States.

Despite attempts to make medication more widely accessible, the cost may pose a barrier. “The pharmaceutical company that submitted an FDA application to switch from prescription-to-OTC status has not yet made price information publicly available. In addition to the retail cost, which will be an important consideration for those not using insurance, should a daily oral contraceptive pill become available OTC, accessibility and uptake will also depend on whether private health insurance and Medicaid cover it without a prescription,” states the KFF.

As patients and providers wait for the final ruling as the review process continues, approval will warrant additional research on the impacts and affordability of OTC daily oral contraceptives. Payers will have to decide if and how they plan to cover these medications upon approval.