'It would probably lower the rate of unintended pregnancies'
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EUGENE, Ore. - A group of doctors recommends that the prescription birth control pill that women have been taking for decades should be sold over the counter.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said that the birth control pill be sold over-the-counter.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of all pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended - a rate that has held steady for the last 20 years.
The ACOG said that easier access to birth control medication could help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies.
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Anne Marie Moore, a women's health care practitioner in Eugene, also thinks the birth control pill should go over the counter.
"I think because it's relatively safe, there are other medications over the counter that can have severe side affects as well," Moore said.
Many women KVAL News talked to in Eugene also agree with ACOG's endorsement.
"It would probably lower the rate of unintended pregnancies," said Becca Turk from Eugene.
"It's just easier if you don't have insurance, for example, you can just go straight to the pharmacy," said Sally Boyer from Eugene.
Other women in Eugene said they fear the price of taking the pill might go up if it goes over -the-counter.
"Right now birth control is being covered by insurance and there's some argument that if it's available over the counter, then it might drive the prices up," Moore said.
Even so, Moore said placing the pill over the counter could be the best way to go.
"The fact that it's so safe and we have so many methods and such a high unintended pregnancy rate, it seems like a logical next step would be to have it widely available," Moore said.
If the pill were to go over the counter, it would not be any time soon.
A company would first have to get government approval to sell the drug over the counter.
This will not happen in the next 4 years, period. NOW, Planned Parenthood, and others probably already are lobbying the administration to direct the FDA to put any proposals to allow oral birth control to be sold OTC on the back burner. Planned Parenthood gets millions of dollars annually from the federal government to provide medical exams for young women in order to prescribe and provide oral birth control pills. With no prescription requirement, Planned Parenthood would be out of business. As in most situations especially in politics, follow the money and you will understand the probable outcome.
It is also interesting to note that while almost all private insurers raised co-pays and deductibles for most prescription drugs and decreased coverage for "speciality" drugs (i.e. chemotherapy, etc.) for 2013, they all proudly highlight that any and all conraceptive drugs and devices are free, no deductible, no co-pays. Maybe cancer patients weren't considered an important voting bloc.
News flash. If it is over the counter you cut out the doctor and the pharmacist. This means  cheaper. Simple math.
 @givupongod Yes, if you're uninsured. If you have good insurance OTC can mean it's much more expensive though.
While there are some risks to teenage girls with certain health conditions, it is time to get more realistic about preventing unplanned teen pregnancies. Overall, birth control pills have minor side effects/ health risks and are extremely effective. Making birth control pills more easily obtainable for teenagers is a great idea; though, again, experts in the field will need to come up with how to make sure teenage girls who have conditions in which the pills could have a deleterious effect to their health get the right birth control. Again, it's time to get realistic.
 @Johnny Realistically, I can't see them making the pill OTC to minors. If it goes OTC, I would bet it will be like cough medicine... 18 to buy.