It would be historic.

The Perrigo laboratory announced on Monday that it had asked the American authorities for the green light for what would be the first contraceptive pill available over the counter in the United States, and this, a few weeks after the decision of the Supreme Court to revoke the right to abortion in the country.

It is a French subsidiary of the pharmaceutical group, HRA Pharma, which filed a dossier with the American Medicines Agency (FDA) for Opill.

This pill, to be taken every day, based on a synthetic progestogen, without estrogen, has been available on prescription since 1973, details a press release.

“A historic procedure”

The launch of the regulatory process shortly after the Supreme Court's June 24 decision to overturn the right to abortion in force throughout the United States is "a coincidence", assures the company, pointing out that HRA worked on the case for seven years.

The FDA declined to comment.

“This historic procedure marks a turning point in access to contraceptives and for reproductive equity in the United States,” commented Frédérique Welgryn, director of strategic operations and innovation at HRA Pharma, in the press release.

If given the green light, it will “help even more women and people access contraception, without facing unnecessary barriers,” she added.

Already on sale in several countries

Birth control pills are already available over the counter in many countries, including Brazil, Mexico, Portugal or Turkey.

Other countries prefer to require a visit to a health professional, in particular to avoid possible contraindications and to discuss the risks for blood pressure.

Major American medical organizations, including the Council of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), have, however, already expressed support for over-the-counter pills.

“The data confirms that progestin-only hormonal methods are generally safe and pose no or minimal risk of venous thromboembolism,” also known as blood clots, ACOG said in a post on its site.

“Several studies have demonstrated that women are able to use self-screening tools to determine their eligibility for hormonal contraceptive use,” the organization adds.

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