NPWH’s President-elect will be offering oral arguments this week during an FDA hearing on making a contraception pill available over-the-counter (OTC).

Dr. Komkwuan P. Paruchabutr, DNP, WHNP-BC, FNP-BC, CNM, FACNM, NPWH President-Elect and Co-Chair, NPWH Advocacy and Government Relations Committee, will be supporting making the Opill birth control pill available OTC during the FDA Joint Meeting of the Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee and the Obstetrics, Reproductive, and Urologic Drugs Advisory Committee.

It is the first time the FDA has considered the possibility of giving OTC status to a birth control pill.

“NPWH believes and fully supports access to OTC HC (hormone contraception) will help patients of all ages live healthier lives,” the association noted in promoting a virtual watch party being held Tuesday and Wednesday to follow oral arguments and hear live commentary. “The research is thorough and clear. Guided by clear evidence and thorough data, NPWH fully supports making Opill available OTC.”

More than three-quarters of women ages 18-49 also support making birth control available without a prescription if they are shown to be safe and effective, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey released last year. Among those who favored OTC status of the pills, 60% said they would likely use them.

NPWH, in written testimony submitted to the FDA, noted that the safety of hormone contraception is well established.

Nurse Practitioners interested in attending the virtual watch party for the FDA hearing should register here today (May 8).  Free the Pill, of which NPWH is a member, is sponsoring the event from 9:30 to 5:30 ET Tuesday and 9:30 to 1:30 ET Wednesday.

The contents of this feature are not provided or reviewed by NPWH.