Major retailers and pharmacies will be selling Opill, with a one-month supply costing about $20 and a three-month supply running around $50.
This image provided by Perrigo Company shows boxes of Opill, the first over-the-counter birth control pill available later this month in the United States.WASHINGTON — The first over-the-counter birth control pill will be available in U.S. stores later this month, allowing American women and teens to purchase contraceptive medication as easily as they buy aspirin.
Manufacturer Perrigo said Monday it has begun shipping the medication, Opill, to major retailers and pharmacies. A one-month supply will cost about $20 and a three-month supply will cost around $50, according to the company’s suggested retail price. It will also be sold online.The launch has been closely watched since last July, when the Food and Drug Administration said the once-a-day Opill could be sold without a prescription.
Dr. Verda Hicks, president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, in a statement, said studies have shown that patients, including adolescents, can effectively screen themselves to use the pills.