AFP American women at the Capitol in Washington
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 20:48
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first over-the-counter contraceptive pill. As a result, the pill could become much more accessible to many women in the United States.
The drug, called Opill, is expected to become the most effective commercial contraceptive available, the FDA says. The pill, which must be taken daily, will therefore protect against pregnancy better than condoms or spermicides that are already available. From next spring, the pill should be available at a pharmacy, drugstore or online.
For millions of American women, the new drug could offer a solution, especially for young people and women with little to spend. As a result, they do not have to travel to a general practitioner, which can save a lot of money and time.
Right to abortion
In May, medical and scientific experts agreed that the pill can be sold without a prescription. Now the FDA has also given the green light. Access to contraception has become all the more important for many women since the nationwide right to abortion was struck down by the Supreme Court.
Since then, abortion has been completely banned in fifteen states and made very difficult in five states. This has made it virtually impossible for millions of women to get an abortion.
US correspondent Marieke de Vries:
“The decision to sell this pill in pharmacies without a doctor’s prescription is called a historic breakthrough and, according to major medical organizations, comes at a crucial time, exactly one year after the Supreme Court overturned the nation’s right to abortion.
According to the renowned Guttmacher Institute, half of pregnancies in the US are unplanned, partly because of poor sex education in schools and because women have difficulty obtaining contraceptives. It is therefore hoped that the threshold will be lowered if this pill is sold at the drugstore.
The only question is how much a monthly dose will cost and whether insurance companies will reimburse it. According to de Affordable Care Act should health insurance cover prescription contraceptives, it is hoped that will now be extended to this pill.”
From one recent study also shows that in recent years it has become more difficult for women in the US to access contraception and other reproductive health care, such as screenings.
About 45 percent of women experience at least one obstacle to accessing reproductive health care. It is mainly about finding a doctor or clinic where the woman feels comfortable.
2023-07-13 18:48:39
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