More than six decades after Norgestrel was patented, the progestin-only birth control pill has debuted on drug store shelves and online as Opill. It’s the first oral contraceptive in the country granted nationwide over-the-counter status by the Food and Drug Administration.
Already, retailers such as Amazon, Target, CVS, and Walmart have listed a three-month supply of Opill for roughly $16 per month. Its price points and availability prove that deregulating birth control, rather than the Affordable Care Act’s legally dubious contraception mandate, is a pro-life, pro-capitalist, and pro-religious liberty solution to the persistent demand for abortion.
In a second Trump term, Republicans could push the FDA to authorize over-the-counter status to even more formulations for birth control pills, including the combination pills, which don’t need to be taken at the same time every day and are thus more effective with typical use. In the short term, we can all look at the likely lull in the price of Opill as proof that deregulation doesn’t just improve the greatest good for the greatest number as a matter of economics. It also helps empower women to make proactive choices before conceiving an unwanted pregnancy.
