New Medical Guidelines Say Birth Control Should Be Available Over The Counter

[DonViejo]

By Annie-Rose Strasser posted from ThinkProgress Health on Nov 21, 2012 at 9:53 am

Women shouldn’t have to go to a doctor for a birth control pill perscription, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists announced on Tuesday. Instead, it believes that oral contraceptive should be available to women over the counter

In a written opinion, the OB/GYN society made the argument that the benefit of easy access to birth control — a decrease in unplanned pregnancies — outweigh the risks of not having a doctor inform a woman of potential side effects. The most common side effect of birth control pills is a higher likelihood of blood clots or deep-vein thrombosis, but the risk of such effects are rated “extremely low.”

On the other hand, easier access to birth control, particularly a low-cost or cost-free pill, leads to a far lower number of abortions.

Many women attest to not taking the pill regularly because of the logistical and planning issues, as well as cost, associated with going to a doctor for a prescription. Still, oral contraceptives are among the most popular forms of birth control, particularly for “whites, women in their teens and 20s, cohabiting women, childless women and college graduates.”
Interestingly, the U.S. and western Europe are among the only places that require a prescription for birth control pills. In much of the world, it’s easy for a woman to get pills with just a screening required. The United States, however, uses an antiquated system of tying contraception to annual well-woman checkups, so that a doctor can withhold birth control as a means of forcing a woman to come in for a checkup.

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http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/11/21/1226511/over-the-counter-birth-controll/

[ChazII]

1. It is about time.

http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2012/03/is_an_over_the_counter_birth_control_pill_dangerous_.html

I wish this discussion was taking place in GD.

[Freddie]

2. This would also shut up the "I'm not paying for your free birth control" crowd

[nenagh]

5. Drug plans, I doubt, would cover OTC meds...

So some women might not be be able to afford BC pills.

[Freddie]

6. I remember when Claritin went OTC

and suddenly it wasn't $10 co-pay but around $30 a box. Then they started offering store-brand which is a lot cheaper (although still not $10). I imagine this would happen with the Pill as well.

[patrice]

3. Yes, it's about time! & Funny how we REALLY are guinea pigs for some OTC pharma, but NOT others.

[Drale]

4. My only question is

birth control is a hormone and can't that effect people in different ways? Wouldn't you want to seek a doctors advice to make sure that it won't effect you in a negative way? I would want to do that with any medication I take with the exception of like headache medicine or something like that.

[ChazII]

7. Try reading this article

http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2012/03/is_an_over_the_counter_birth_control_pill_dangerous_.html

it has some pros and cons. Wouldn't the pharmacist be able to help most women when it came any meds that might interfere? I used the IUD back in the early 80's and then went celibate after my divorce so I don't know much about the pill.

[gkhouston]

8. You should always double-check that yourself or with a pharmacy, in any case.

I had one doctor prescribe NuvaRing for me. In the back of my mind, something didn't seem right, so I specifically asked about drug interactions and reminded him which drugs I was taking. He assured me it would be fine. When I got home, I read the prescribing pamphlet and discovered that one of the meds I was taking was specifically mentioned (by its drug name, not it's brand name) as a med likely to render the birth control ineffective. And... I wanted the birth control because that same med is associated with birth defects.

So... know the drug name and not just the brand name, and always check.