UPDATE 2-FDA approves Perrigo's contraceptive as first over-the-counter pill in US
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July 13 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the over-the-counter use of Perrigo's contraceptive drug, paving the way for millions of women to purchase birth control pills without prescription for the first time in the country.
The daily contraceptive, Opill, was first approved for prescription use in 1973, and the over-the-counter approval clears the way for people to obtain it without first seeing a health care provider.
The approval was expected to reduce barriers for women in obtaining contraceptives, at a time of increased focus on birth control since the U.S. Supreme Court last year overturned the constitutional right to terminate pregnancies by scrapping a landmark ruling in the 1973 Roe vs. Wade case.
The pill will be available in store and online in the first quarter of next year, Perrigo said. The company will share information on pricing and distribution plans in advance, it said.
Studies have shown that a high proportion of consumers understood the label instructions for using the drug, supporting their ability to properly use the drug when it is available as an over-the-counter product, the FDA said.
(Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)
