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FDA approves first nonprescription daily oral contraceptive

fda.gov

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Re: FDA approves first nonprescription daily oral contraceptive

#61

Post by ska »

willcipriano wrote: post #36
giantg2 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yep, because it's relying on the cultural knowledge that has been built up over the years through things like health classes and society talking more openly to share knowledge. And people really don't understand all the potential risks for most medications they're on, whether Rx or OTC.

Couldn't be that doctors wanted all those easy well visits writing scripts for birth control and the recent supreme court ruling encouraged the FDA to finally be reasonable? It's that this exact moment is the first time in human history that women are capable of understanding "once daily".

Doesn’t sound plausible. Doctors aren’t really casting around for work, these visits aren’t particularly or unusually straightforward for a GP - and at a guess a majority of women who stay on hormonal birth control have had some problems with it at some point. The cultural knowledge aspect is real.

Re: FDA approves first nonprescription daily oral contraceptive

#62

Post by giantg2 »

0cf8612b2e1e wrote: post #43
giantg2 wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm pretty sure you don't have to "have" a doctor for this. MinuteClinics and such can provide this. I would guess there are websites you can get Rx through too.

That’s still a needless barrier. If you are poor every dollar counts and being required to pay for a medical professional to rubber stamp a prescription does more harm than good.

I'd like see the data that supports that. If true, we would do away with the prescription process altogether for most drugs.

Re: FDA approves first nonprescription daily oral contraceptive

#63

Post by ribosometronome »

sugarpile wrote: post #34
runako wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but there may be risks, especially if folks don't take the medicine correctly. This describes every over-the-counter drug that has ever been sold. Keeping contraception prescription-only has always been about politics.

How do you think the two are equivalent? Hormone medications can have a profound impact on a person across the spectrum from mental to physical health. Secondly, taking BC wrong may lead to a false sense of security and subsequent unwanted pregnancies. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a, smallish, correlated increase in STDs, as well. Neither of those are a thing someone buying tylenol has to worry about. Disinge…

>Secondly, taking BC wrong ... Neither of those are a thing someone buying tylenol has to worry about.

Taking Tylenol wrong kills you.

Re: FDA approves first nonprescription daily oral contraceptive

#64

Post by NoZebra120vClip »

dashundchen wrote: post #44
giantg2 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Was there really any gatekeeping going on for this in the first place? Seems more like just about everyone who asks recieves it.

Yes. I have had several friends who saw providers at a local Catholic hospital system and had those providers refuse to prescribe birth control.

[flagged]

Re: FDA approves first nonprescription daily oral contraceptive

#65

Post by WesternWind »

willcipriano wrote: post #6

> The contraceptive efficacy of norgestrel was established with the original approval for prescription use in 1973. HRA Pharma applied to switch norgestrel from a prescription to an over-the-counter product. For approval of a product for use in the nonprescription setting, the FDA requires that the applicant demonstrate that the product can be used by consumers safely and effectively, relying only on the nonprescript…

The same people who hate and politicize abortion also usually hate and politicize contraceptives. I don't know if that had an impact in the choice to seek approval or not, but I wouldn't be surprised.

If it looks like Trump might win the electoral college and the Dems might lose Congress, it might not be the worst thing to have stocked up on.

Re: FDA approves first nonprescription daily oral contraceptive

#66

Post by dboreham »

Scubabear68 wrote: post #33
dmoy wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Bypassing a doctor does open up access, but there may be risks, especially if folks don't take the medicine correctly. In related news, it is shockingly easy to get messed up real bad by Tylenol. But you can get it in a 500-pill bottle from Costco.

My cousin is a toxicologist and he was talking about this in the 1980s - that the public had no idea how incredibly toxic Tylenol is and how easy it is to over dose on it and cause significant damage to your liver and other organs.

Depends on the country. In the UK people typically are aware of the dangers of acetaminophen, and you can't buy giant bottles.

Re: FDA approves first nonprescription daily oral contraceptive

#67

Post by runako »

candiddevmike wrote: post #22
runako wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but there may be risks, especially if folks don't take the medicine correctly. This describes every over-the-counter drug that has ever been sold. Keeping contraception prescription-only has always been about politics.

There are non hormonal options out there like IUDs (and condoms) that may be a better option though. Speaking as a parent, I would rather have my kids come talk to me /my wife about this stuff and work with us and a doctor to figure out what's best for them long term. I recognize not every kid has that kind of relationship with their parents and would benefit from purchasing it directly.

> There are non hormonal options out there like IUDs (and condoms) that may be a better option though.

Whether one agrees or disagrees with this, the argument is not strong enough to warrant a prescription requirement.

(Also and separately: human bodies are complex. If you talk to a few women you might discover that IUDs are not universally tolerated and condoms are not an acceptable substitute for a variety of reasons. There are good reasons many women choose to take oral contraceptives, even though they have a daily use requirement.)

This isn't just about kids, it's also about the inconvenience and added cost (to pay for the doctor visits) placed on all women who use oral contraceptives. I'm not sure how it relates at all to this announcement.

Re: FDA approves first nonprescription daily oral contraceptive

#68

Post by giantg2 »

LostLocalMan wrote: post #46
giantg2 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Was there really any gatekeeping going on for this in the first place? Seems more like just about everyone who asks recieves it.

Yes there is a lot of gatekeeping happening across the board. From my wife's experience living just outside of Portland Oregon: - Prescription has been cancelled twice for no real reason. - Pharmacists have refused to give more than one month at a time more than once. - Even if everyone is on board and not hostile she's only able to get a few months at a time so she has to do this multiple times a year. I can't imagi…

I've had some prescription issue for other meds as well. Usually an issue of the insurance or pharmacy, not a political motive. They don't like to give long term supplies given the expiration is 1 year from manufacture.

Re: FDA approves first nonprescription daily oral contraceptive

#69

Post by renewiltord »

giantg2 wrote: post #40
not_the_fda wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its more about needing the Dr appointment. A Dr appointment isn't cheap if you are poor and lack insurance, and many places have wait time of a year to get an appointment.

You can get birth control from places that don't require insurance like MinuteClinics and online for a cost of about $20 for the visit. I'm pretty sure the online option does not have long wait times.

This is 3 hours of minimum wage work to get a rubber stamp to get it. Interesting.

Re: FDA approves first nonprescription daily oral contraceptive

#70

Post by 0cf8612b2e1e »

giantg2 wrote: post #62
0cf8612b2e1e wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That’s still a needless barrier. If you are poor every dollar counts and being required to pay for a medical professional to rubber stamp a prescription does more harm than good.

I'd like see the data that supports that. If true, we would do away with the prescription process altogether for most drugs.

That women find getting birth control a hassle? Ask anyone.
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