Opill is the first over-the-counter birth control pill and has made its home in pharmacies across the nation.
Opill is relatively new to the birth control market, having been approved by the FDA in July 2023.
Leila Bahbah, U.S. Women’s Health Brand Lead and associate director of Opill, said the company started shipping the product in March of this year.
“Still new to the world, but hugely exciting,” Bahbah said. “We’re seeing steady growth in our sales, which really tells us that there’s a need for this product, regardless of if you live in Ohio.”
Opill is available in all fifty states in stores such as Walmart, CVS, and Target or at Opill.com.
The pill is available in a one-month pack, a three-month pack and a six-month pack. A user is instructed to take one pill once a day at the same time every day making it 98% effective, according to Bahbah.
Opill’s main goal is to provide an accessible birth control pill that doesn’t require insurance or a doctor’s request. Their accessible pricing emphasizes this; a one-month pack costs $19.99, a three-month pack costs $49.99 and a six-month pack costs $89.99.
“We did a lot of research and determining the price and our mission is really one of access, so it’s really important that we create access and availability for consumers who need it,” Bahbah said.
Accessibility is Opill’s main mission, alleviating barriers and restrictions of getting birth control and providing those who face these restrictions another option.
“There’s a greater need for those who maybe don’t have a doctor or don’t have insurance, so it’s almost a whole separate group of people that were able to reach with this product,” Bahbah said.
Opill does not have an age restriction on who can buy it. The product is geared towards women as it is a progestin-only.
“The important thing to note about progestin-only pills is that they are safe for many women,” Bahbah said. “Essentially it’s one hormone versus the majority of prescription pills, which contain both estrogen and progestin.”
Opill is safe for many women; however, Bahabah still recommends seeing a physician if you can before taking any medication.
“It is a medication, every medication comes with side-effects, and every medication comes with risks as well as benefits, it needs to be treated and viewed as that,” Athens City-County Health Commissioner Carl Ortman said.
As Opill is breaking down the traditional barriers to birth control access, it positively affects women’s access to reproductive healthcare.
“In my opinion, reproductive health is human health, and, therefore, if you can improve access to health that is a positive for the community,” Ortman said.
Opill’s steady growth of sales reflects a need in all regions of the nation, according to Bahbah.
“I wouldn’t say that there’s a specific area or region where it’s more popular,” Bahbah said. “It’s just depending on the need of that individual and where they live.”
As many women take birth control for many different reasons, accessibility is huge.
“It’s not only used for what everybody perceives it to be used for,” Sierra Harvey, a sophomore studying athletic training, said. “There are medical conditions, and it’s just protective of females.”
Not only do women go on birth control to prevent pregnancies, but women may go on it to reduce menstrual pain, regulate periods or help hormonal acne.
A study based on government data from the National Survey of Family Growth revealed that after pregnancy prevention, 31% of women use the pill to reduce cramps or menstrual pain.
Harvey also noted that birth control access is important in a college town.
“There is a stigma about college and people are meeting all these new people, and it’s better to be safe than sorry,” Harvey said.
Opill creates this accessibility for birth control for those living in a college town, rural area or a city.
“Anything that improves a person’s ability to improve their own health or make health-related decisions, in my opinion, is a plus,” Ortman said.
Opill has opened the gate to creating accessible reproductive health for women in all regions of the nations and challenging the traditional birth control market.
“I’m just so proud to be able to sit here and say that we’re removing barriers for women and people who can get affected,” Bahbah said.
