Free the Pill
Access to birth control without a prescription will be transformative to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. NAPAWF’s Chief Field Officer Kristina Doan wrote about what this would mean in a op-ed published in Mochi Mag.
The FDA has approved Opill as the first birth control pill available over-the-counter in the United States! ?
At a moment when we are facing down relentless attacks on our reproductive health and rights, this is a huge win.
The Opill manufacturer said their birth control pill is expected to be available over the counter in stores starting in January or February 2024.
Birth control pills are an important part of the full range of sexual and reproductive health care. This matters to AAPI communities – language barriers, immigration status, cultural stigma, and low rates of insurance coverage affect the ways we access health care. Over-the-counter access to birth control would alleviate many of these barriers to contraception that our community faces.
The FDA is held public hearings on May 9 and 10 to consider whether to make birth control available over the counter – and the committee unanimously recommended that Opill, a brand of birth control, be made available over the counter!
After FDA approval in July 2023, Opill will be the first birth control pill sold over-the-counter in the United States. This is a giant step toward reproductive freedom, and will empower people of all reproductive ages and backgrounds to pursue healthy, independent lives by getting the care they need and deserve.
Learn More
FDA Letter
Read NAPAWF’s letter to the FDA that outlines how important over-the-counter birth control would be for AAPIs.
Free the Pill Coalition
NAPAWF is a member of the Free the Pill coalition, a group of more than 150 reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations, research and advocacy groups, youth activists, health care providers, prominent medical and health professional associations, and others who share a commitment to ensuring more equitable access to safe, effective, and affordable birth control to people of all ages, backgrounds, and identities in the United States. Learn more about the coalition here.