Imagine that your are living your day to day life with your boyfriend and one day, by accident, you become pregnant. Wow, that can really derail your life and your finances.
If you decide to get an abortion, in some states you could go to prison.
Well, imagine that you could prevent getting pregnant with an over the counter pill. Well, that solution will be available to all U.S. citizens. You will be able to go to any drug store (or online), and just buy a contractive pill without answering questions from anyone.
The Food and Drug Administration just approved the oral contraceptive Opill, produced by the company Perrigo, to be sold over the counter. No prescriptions, no questions asked. It will be no different than buying a pack of condoms.
This pill has already been sold, over the counter, in over 100 different countries. The U.S. with its puritan thinking in way behind other advanced societies. In addition, this pill has been available in the U.S. with a prescription, since 1973, that’s 50 years!!! What took them so long? Maybe politics and religious groups that only consider sex as a reproduction activity and a pleasurable activity that should be forbidden? And of course, an activity where only women pay the consequences.
Because it’s a drug that will be sold over the counter, most insurance companies will not want to pay for it, so this will be out of pocket drug.
The company Perrigo, has not disclosed the pricing for this drug but they have said that they want to make it affordable to every one.
The medication is expected to be available at drug stores, convenience stores, grocery stores and online during the first months of 2024.
Of course, not everyone is celebrating. Several religious organizations are claiming that the pill is unsafe and should not be taken due to possible side effects. However, a panel of FDA’s advisers said the more women were likely to be harmed physically (and financially) by an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy that the possible drug’s side effects.
In the U.S. there are about 3 million unintended pregnancies, Those are 3 million financial lives destroyed.
This is one more lever that you have on your financial life. You don’t have to have your life derailed by an unwanted pregnancy.