New OTC Birth Control ‘Increases Access to Safe Contraception,’ Said Women’s Health Expert

Media Contacts: Emily Gowdey-Backus, 978-934-3369, Emily_GowdeyBackus@uml.edu and Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu

A “critical barrier” to accessing safe contraception has been reduced, according to UMass Lowell Associate Professor Heidi Fantasia, after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday a brand of daily birth control has been cleared for purchase without a prescription.

Opill, manufactured by Dublin, Ireland-based self-care company Perrigo, is the first oral contraceptive to be approved for sale over the counter in the United States. The pill offers consumers the option to purchase the medication at drug, convenience and grocery stores, as well as online, according to the FDA. The manufacturer expects the pill to hit the market next year. 

“Providing safe and accessible contraception options without significant barriers is essential now that access to abortion varies greatly by state,” said Fantasia, chair of the Solomont School of Nursing at UMass Lowell and a board-certified nurse practitioner with more than 25 years of experience providing women’s health care in public and private settings, primarily to underserved patients. 

“Approximately 40% of unintended pregnancies end in abortion,” she added, “and expanding access to contraception is one strategy to reduce those pregnancies.

“Given the current political climate, recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings, and the overall political interference in health care, I suspect highly conservative politicians who may object to any form of contraception will issue statements condemning the FDA ruling. However, the decision to make this form of oral progestin-only contraception available without a prescription is supported by decades of scientific evidence and research that support its safety and effectiveness,” she said. 

Fantasia is available to discuss: 

 Fantasia’s research includes studies on reproductive health, contraception, sexual consent, violence and diseases. She is a National Academies of Practice Distinguished Practitioner and Fellow who previously served as a director for the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health. She is the editor of “Nursing for Women’s Health” and the lead editor and author of “Protocols for Nurse Practitioners in Gynecologic Settings.”

Fantasia has been honored by the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health; Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses; the Journal of Forensic Nursing; National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health; March of Dimes; International Honor Society of Nursing; and UMass Lowell. 

To arrange an interview with her, contact Emily Gowdey-Backus or Nancy Cicco.