Group advocates to make birth control pills available OTC
July 20th, 2010 by Jennifer Walker-Journey
Members of the Oral Contraceptive Over-the-Counter Working Group are advocating to – you guessed it – make birth control pills available for women without a prescription. But it is in the best interest for women when they can carry serious and even life-threatening risks?
“Our goal is to evaluate objectively the risks and benefits of demedicalizing contraceptive care, with an eye toward improving access to OCs (oral contraceptives) and potentially other hormonal contraceptive methods by making them available without a prescription,” a statement from the nonprofit advocacy group reads.
The group says there is substantial literature available on oral contraceptives that show birth control pills meet most of the Food and Drug Administration’s criteria for OTC status. “The drug’s benefits outweigh the risk for women of reproductive age; the potential for misuse or abuse is low; a consumer can easily self-diagnose the condition for which the pills are indicated; and directions for use are straightforward.”
Birth control pills have a host of minor side effects including vision changes, breast tenderness, fluid retention, weight gain, acne, headaches, depression and anxiety. But women who use estrogen-containing birth control pills are at a 3- to 6-fold increased risk of developing blood clots. Blood clots may lead to deep vein thrombosis, heart attack or stroke.
Some studies suggest that different types of birth control pills can put women at an even greater risk of blood clots. Most notably is Bayer HealthCare’s blockbuster birth control pill Yaz, also known as Yasmin and by the generic ocella. Yaz is the top-selling birth control pill in the country, yet few women realize they are at risk of blood clots until it is too late. To date, more than 1,100 lawsuits have been filed against Bayer by women who allege they were not adequately warned by the drug company that taking Yaz put them at greater risk of serious injury.
Making oral contraceptives available OTC does have benefits. It will give women greater control over their birth control choices, and that could lead to easier access to higher rates of initiation, continuation and fewer gaps in use, thereby “potentially leading to an overall decrease in rates of unintended pregnancy and abortion,” the organization’s statement reads.
For now, the Working Group on Oral Contraceptives Over-the-Counter will carry out several activities, including research, engaging in public education and discussion, and building consensus on key issues. “We will initiate dialogue with professional medical organizations, host a meeting to gauge support for this issue among organizations representing diverse groups of women, and create informational materials on the safety of OCs.”