First over-the-counter birth control pill gets FDA approval

The FDA has approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill in the United States, allowing women and girls to purchase contraceptive medication without a prescription. The once-daily Opill will be available without age restrictions starting next year. Hormone-based pills have been the most common form of birth control in the US since the 1960s, but until now, they required a prescription. Advocates have long pushed for wider access to contraception to address unintended pregnancies.