Washington, DC – Yesterday, the pharmaceutical company Perrigo announced that it has begun shipping the first ever FDA-approved over-the-counter (OTC) daily oral contraceptive pill, Opill, to retailers across the country. Opill is available for online preorder and will be available on shelves nationwide later this month. Opill will soon be the most effective form of birth control available OTC in the United States. This marks a historic advancement in reproductive health, which comes at a pivotal moment, and is the result of decades of tireless work of reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations.
However, research and polling has found that half of respondents interested in using OTC birth control pills would only be able to pay $10 or less per month.
We know that due to systemic racism, economic inequities, and other forms of oppression, any cost for OTC birth control pills will be too high for low-income and underserved individuals.
“We celebrate this milestone moment in contraceptive access and commend the work of the reproductive justice advocates who got us here. We also acknowledge that Perrigo’s recommended retail price of $19.99 for a one-month supply of Opill will put it out of reach for a great number of people, especially for low-income individuals who already face the most barriers to accessing contraception,” says Christina Piecora, Senior Policy Analyst at the National Health Law Program. “We know that due to systemic racism, economic inequities, and other forms of oppression, any cost for OTC birth control pills will be too high for low-income and underserved individuals.”
The National Health Law Program urges Perrigo to make every effort to reduce the recommended retail price, and to find ways to work with community-based organizations, clinics, and other interested partners to make free or no-cost Opill available to those who cannot pay. We also eagerly await information on Perrigo’s cost assistance program and urge them to ensure that it is accessible to young people and other underserved communities. Additionally, we encourage retailers to price Opill as affordably as possible and to stock Opill visibly and without any barriers.
Ensuring insurance coverage of Opill and all OTC contraceptives without cost-sharing and without a prescription is crucial to achieving health equity. We urge private health care plans to cover Opill without cost-sharing. Furthermore, NHeLP calls on the Biden administration and federal agencies to issue guidance to make clear that under the Affordable Care Act insurance plans must cover OTC contraception without cost-sharing and without requiring a prescription. Additionally, we urge them to take action to expand OTC contraceptive coverage and access through federally-supported health care programs, including Medicaid. While contraceptive equity has always been an important component of reproductive health, it is even more critical amidst the escalating attacks on sexual and reproductive health care after Dobbs.
The first ever switch of a contraceptive pill to OTC is a historic moment, but it will not be truly successful until Opill is accessible to everyone who wants it no matter their insurance status, income level, or where they live.
