"FDA Evaluates Approval of OTC Birth Control Pill"

The FDA is considering whether to approve HRA Pharma's application to sell its daily birth control pill, Opill, over the counter in the US without a prescription. Hormone-based pills have always required a prescription, but HRA argues that removing the requirement would improve access to the contraceptive method. However, the FDA has raised concerns about the reliability of some of the company's data and whether women with certain medical conditions would correctly opt out of taking it. The panel meeting next week will vote on whether the risks of making Opill available over the counter outweigh the potential risks, but the vote is not binding.