In a statement, the FDA said that allowing the pill without a prescription for everyone will help reduce barriers by allowing individuals to obtain an oral contraceptive without the need to first see a doctor. The manufacturer of Opill stated that it is likely that the pill will be available without a prescription in early 2024.

Doctors say that the progestogen-only pill is a particularly safe form of contraception. This is all because it contains no oestrogen, meaning it has fewer side effects and health risks.

"When used as directed, daily oral contraception is safe and is expected to be more effective than currently available nonprescription contraceptive methods in preventing unintended pregnancy," Dr Patrizia Cavazzoni, the director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.

The approval of the pill comes after an FDA advisory committee voted unanimously in May to recommend the pill's availability without a prescription.

The FDA's decision was praised on Thursday by several medical groups, including Advocates for Youth, a non-profit organisation, which called the approval "long overdue".

Experts say women - and teenage girls in particular - face a number of barriers while trying to get access to reproductive health services, including a lack of health insurance and difficulty finding transportation to medical appointments. They also face stigma and shame from health care providers or parents when trying to obtain the contraceptive pill.

Source: bbc.com