FDA panel votes in favor of the first-ever over-the-counter birth control pill
In a highly significant move, a panel of independent experts on Wednesday voted unanimously that the Food and Drug Administration should approve the first over-the-counter birth control bill, a recommendation that holds the potential to transform the way contraception is practiced in the United States.
After nearly two days of deliberations, the FDA advisory panel weighed a gamut of data and analyses to assess whether the pill — which was first approved as a prescription medicine decades ago — would be safe, effective and, importantly, easy for women of all ages to use appropriately. It voted 17-to-0 in favor of making the pill accessible over the counter; the FDA is expected to make a final decision this summer.
