A vote by health advisers at the Food and Drug Administration has made it likely the United States will approve its first-ever over-the-counter birth control medication. The panel of advisers unanimously recommended the approval of drugmaker Perrigo’s once-a-day pill, Opill, for over-the-counter use, the Associated Press reported. If the FDA, which is anticipated to make a final decision this summer, gives its approval, Opill would become the first birth control pill available without a prescription. The outside advisers expressed confidence that users could take the medication safely without consulting a doctor, though some FDA scientists raised concerns about Perrigo’s studies of the drug.
