Contraception without hormones : The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) announced that birth control through hormone should be available without a prescription.Contraception without hormones

• Hormonal contraception has been around for decades and leading medical experts believe it should be sold without a prescription. 
• FDA must approve drugs
• But getting a prescription can still be difficult for Americans.
• At least 100 other countries allow women to obtain hormonal birth control without a prescription.

Currently, women in the United States need a prescription from a health care provider to be able to control their births.

It may seem simple, but getting a prescription is actually one of the biggest barriers that prevent many women from getting the medications they need. It's difficult for many people to find the time to go to a doctor's appointment, and it's often too expensive.

But, as of last week, we're one step closer to being able to purchase over-the-counter birth control.

Last month, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) announced its recommendation that hormonal contraception should be available over the counter.

The organization said many types of hormonal contraceptives — including oral contraceptive pills, vaginal rings, contraceptive patches and some injections — are safe and should be easily accessible to women of all ages.

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) also supports over-the-counter access to contraception, saying that access and cost are the main reasons women do not use contraception.

The fight to remove prescriptions has been long. The United States lags behind more than 100 other countries that already allow women to access birth control without a prescription.

“It’s been about a decade long. The recommendation prioritizes giving patients contraception in the way that is most convenient for them rather than using contraception as a means to place patients on preventive monitoring,” said Dr. Jennifer Karlin, a board-certified family physician. by the Bixby Center study board and research associate for. Global Reproductive Health at the University of California, San Francisco.

Birth control is safer than many other drugs

There is ample evidence to suggest that it is safe to provide over-the-counter birth control.

“Birth control pills are among the best-studied medications on the market. They benefit from the long-standing support of experts in medicine and public health. Decades of research and experience show they are safe for over-the-counter use,” Britt Wahlin, vice president for development and public affairs at Ibis Reproductive Health in Cambridge, Massachusetts, told Healthline.

“An over-the-counter birth control pill is long overdue in the United States. In fact, the pill is already available over the counter in more than 100 countries,” Wahlin said.

Some states have helped reduce barriers to obtaining the drugs. There are 13 states that allow a pharmacist to prescribe the drug, which can reduce the difficulty of obtaining it because patients do not have to make an appointment with their doctor.

The main concern among many medical experts is that combination contraception, or those that contain an estrogen component in addition to progestin, could increase the risk of a blood clot or stroke in some people. Others worry about harmful drug interactions.

According to Karlin, evidence shows that a 15-question screening tool can effectively help people get screened to determine whether or not they should see a doctor before starting birth control.

Additionally, both of these risks are extremely low and most women will not experience any health problems. In fact, birth control is just as safe – if not safer – than many other types of over-the-counter medications. Aspirin, NSAIDs and even Tylenol are more dangerous than birth control, Karlin says.

Contraception without hormones

The first hormonal birth control pill was approved by the FDA in 1960. Getty Images

FDA must approve drugs

If it's safer, then what's stopping contraception from being over-the-counter? According to health experts, it comes down to a few issues.

First, there are the regulatory hurdles. For a drug to be available over the counter, drug manufacturers would have to submit an application to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Wahlin says.

For example, her organization – Iris Reproductive Health, which operates Free the Pill and raises awareness about over-the-counter birth control – is currently working with pharmaceutical company HRA Pharma to ensure the FDA has all the research needed to make a decision.

The FDA then evaluates the application based on the safety and effectiveness of the drug and approves or denies it. This process is not only time-consuming, but also expensive given the many types of contraception available.

FDA approval is not enough. Insurance coverage and affordability are also key to helping reduce the financial burden of birth control, Wahlin says.

So far, several states have already passed laws guaranteeing coverage for the OTC pill. Additionally, the Affordability Act is to ensure that the law is covered at the federal level.

“Policymakers understand that over-the-counter birth control pills need to be affordable, covered by insurance and available to people of all ages,” Wahlin said.

Contraception without hormones

In addition to pills, the hormonal contraceptive is now available in the IUD, implants, injections and patches. Getty Images

Everybody needs to get on board

On top of all this, birth control has long been a point of contention.

On the one hand, religious and political beliefs can interfere with care, according to Dr. Mary Rosser, an OB-GYN at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. In Catholic or other religious hospitals, some women have had difficulty obtaining birth control or other reproductive care.

“Many other drugs do not cause moral or ethical reactions – related to sexual activity – and are therefore part of a moral problem rather than what it actually is, a health problem,” said Rosser.

Additionally, Karlin said surveys have shown that some health care providers are still hesitant to support access to over-the-counter medications. They feared a reduction in preventive screening or a loss of patients and revenue.

“Women know what’s best for themselves, their bodies and their future,” Wahlin said.

Allowing women of all ages to have access to over-the-counter birth control would give them complete control over their sexual and reproductive health, and support the health and economic well-being of themselves and their families.

The bottom line

Last month, ACOG announced its recommendation that hormonal contraception be available over the counter. The notion is a long time coming, as many people have struggled for years to obtain over-the-counter birth control. Even though hormonal birth control is safer than other over-the-counter medications, there are still many hurdles to jump before we actually see it on shelves