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OB/GYNs Endorse Over-the-Counter Birth Control, but Prospects Remain Unclear

The country’s largest association of OB/GYNs has voiced its support for making birth-control pills available over the counter.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has declared it safe to sell oral birth control medication without a prescription, having already declared it safe to sell the morning-after pill the same way. The announcement builds on apparent momentum for increasing access to the pill after the FDA held a meeting earlier this year to gather information on selling oral contraceptives without a prescription.

Half the nation’s pregnancies every year are unintended, a figure that has not changed in 20 years. The OB/GYN doctors group says it hopes easier access to birth control will curb this problem. The FDA has signaled willingness to meet with pharmaceutical companies interested in making the pill nonprescription, but over-the-counter sales are unlikely to come anytime soon.