Fifty years after the FDA approved the birth control pill, some contraception advocates say it's time to start selling it over the counter, arguing that it's proven more reliable than non-prescription alternatives such as condoms, spermicide, and the sponge. Moreover, says Kelly Blanchard, president of the nonprofit research group Ibis Reproductive Health, in The New York Times, the pill meets FDA requirements for over-the-counter drugs — it's safe, patients know when they need it, and the instructions are simple to follow. Should it be easier for women to get the pill? (Watch a CNN discussion about getting birth control without a prescription)
Why not? This is an idea whose time has come, says Irin Carmon at Jezebel. Even if you already have a prescription, getting it filled is an unnecessary "pain," and a 2004 survey found that 41 percent of women not using contraception would use the pill, patch, or vaginal ring if it were available over the counter. This could prevent unwanted pregnancies. "If there are indeed compelling reasons for a doctor's involvement, surely some compromise can be worked out...."
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