Drugs

Legislation to Expand Affordable OTC Birth Control

David McFarland

— 1 min read
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Members of the Senate have introduced the Affordability is Access Act “to ensure that people across the country can access and afford over-the-counter birth control options and plan their own reproductive lives on their own terms.” Senate HELP Committee chair Patty Murray (D-WA) says the act would ensure that once FDA determines an over-the-counter (OTC) birth control option to be safe, it approves the product without delay, and would ensure that insurers then fully cover the OTC birth control without any out-of-pocket costs. 

 

Murray’s statement says the legislation would: 

  • ensure coverage of comprehensive preventive health services and expand coverage to include full access to oral contraceptives for routine, daily over-the-counter use for all;
  • maintain FDA’s sole authority to determine the safety and efficacy of drugs and make them available over-the-counter without a prescription; and
  • ensure retailers provide oral contraception without a prescription.

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