showing that most women didn’t support an age restriction. Based on the experience with Plan B, the F.D.A. set targets for the number of adolescents, including those under 15, to be included in HRA Pharma’s studies of Opill studies. The results of this research demonstrated that adolescents used the product appropriately.
Young people are “capable of coming to terms with what their needs are,” she said. “We should be given the opportunity to make choices for ourselves.” Many of the speakers at the public hearing also discussed the importance of ensuring that any nonprescription birth control pill that is approved be available at low or no cost for anyone who needs it.
Perrigo, which has acquired HRA Pharma, says it is committed to making the product accessible and affordable. But we don’t yet know how that will play out. Ourfound that among people who were interested in using an over-the-counter birth control pill, the most that adults on average were willing to spend was $15 per month; for teenagers, the maximum was $10. As the price increased much beyond these amounts, interest fell off precipitously.