News 4/30/24

Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill Opill Now at Your Equitas Health Pharmacy

 The first-ever, over-the-counter birth control pill is now available at all Equitas Health pharmacies.

Opill is a daily birth control pill that does not need a prescription. Anyone can buy it at any time without first talking to a doctor. Like aspirin or allergy pills, Opill can be found on shelves in drug stores and grocery stores.

“Equitas Health is pleased to carry Opill in all of its Ohio pharmacies,” said JoMarie Richardson (She/Her), Equitas Health’s Ohio Market Pharmacy Director.

“The availability of an over-the-counter birth control pill removes one more barrier for the people we serve who want contraception. A pill like Opill lets people take charge of their sexual health,” said Richardson.

Equitas Health has pharmacies in Akron, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton. Our mission to provide quality and affirming healthcare for all, includes access to prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications. You do not have to be a patient to use an Equitas Health pharmacy. People can also get their meds delivered free if they live in Ohio.

The U.S. Food and Drug administration (FDA) approved Opill last summer. It is a progestin-only form of birth control, which means it uses a single hormone called progestin (or norgestrel) to prevent pregnancy. Prescription birth control pills use two hormones, estrogen and progestin. Opill is safe and 98% effective when taken as directed at the same time each day or within a three-hour window.

Equitas Health pharmacists can answer any questions about how and when someone should take the pill.

The FDA reports that nearly half of the 6.1 million pregnancies in the U.S. each year are unintended. Access to an over-the-counter pill like Opill could be a real game-changer, said Richardson.

For more information about pharmacy services, visit equitashealth.com/our-services/pharmacy.

Find an Equitas Health Pharmacy at equitashealth.com/find-a-location.