WASHINGTON (Michigan News Source) – Michiganders who use birth control will find it far easier to access after a pharmaceutical company was granted permission from the Food and  Drug Administration (FDA) for over the counter purchase. 

“Today’s approval marks the first time a nonprescription daily oral contraceptive will be an available option for millions of people in the United States,” Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., Director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research said. “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.”

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The company’s birth control pill would be sold under the name, Opill, which is not currently available in the U.S. according to AP News. 

The FDA recommends that the drug be taken at the same time everyday, as use at the same time is paramount to effectiveness.  It also warns about using medications that may interact with the drug which may potentially result in unintended pregnancy. 

“The most common side effects of Opill include irregular bleeding, headaches, dizziness, nausea, increased appetite, abdominal pain, cramps or bloating.” The FDA said, “Opill should not be used by those who have or have ever had breast cancer. Consumers who have any other form of cancer should ask a doctor before use.”

Earlier this week, Laboratoire HRA Pharma, recently acquired by Perrigo Company plc.,  made history by asking for the ability to sell the pill in stores without the need for a prescription or doctor’s recommendation. 

“For a product that has been available for the last 50 years, that has been used safely by millions of women, we thought it was time to make it more available,” said Frederique Welgryn, HRA’s chief strategy officer.

With changes in Michigan abortion laws earlier this year, it is likely that many Michiganders will seek this opportunity as the FDA granted the France based pharmaceutical company its request, which also has pledged to make the pill “accessible and affordable to women and people of all ages.” 

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“We marked the 1-year anniversary of the Dobbs decision and doubled down on our commitment to fight like hell to keep abortion safe and legal,” Governor Gretchen Whitmer said on social media, who has long advocated for abortion, “We’ll continue to speak with one clear voice to let people know: reproductive freedom will not be restricted in Michigan.” 

Still some oppose increasing the availability of the pill as there are still health concerns and long lasting side effects including risk of cancer. 

“Scientific evidence suggests using birth control pills for longer periods of time increases your risk of some cancers, such as cervical cancer, but the risk declines after stopping use of birth control pills,” the Mayo Clinic states. 

The U.S. joins other continents in which birth control pills are available, including, South America, Asia, and Africa, and last year the company was granted approval in the United Kingdom to sell the drug without a prescription. 

Last month, the American Medical Association supported making birth control pills available without an age requirement for over the counter purchase.