Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced joining a coalition of 21 attorneys general in urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve over-the-counter birth control pills that meet applicable safety and efficacy standards, including a pending application for the nation’s first over-the-counter (OTC) pill. If approved, safe and effective birth control pills will become available for purchase over the counter, removing barriers that currently keep many people from accessing timely reproductive care. In a letter submitted to the FDA, Raoul and the attorneys general argue that approval of the pill would allow individuals — especially those from vulnerable populations — to take greater control over their health, lives and futures. It would also help them avoid the health and economic perils that come with unwanted pregnancies. In the open letter to the FDA, Raoul and the attorneys general assert that the pill should be approved for OTC use because:

• It has been found to be safe and effective for most users. Studies show that progestin-only pills, like Opill, carry a much lower risk of blood clots than traditional combination estrogen and progestin birth control pills. These pills have been used safely in the U.S. since 1973 with minimal side effects. Studies of progestin-only birth control pills show that they are over 90% effective in preventing unwanted pregnancies — more effective than methods such as spermicide, condoms or the sponge.

• It would provide critical help to people from vulnerable populations. Barriers to accessing birth control disproportionately impact people of color, low-income families and individuals living in rural areas, who are more often underinsured or uninsured, and thus find it harder to get the reproductive care they need. OTC options would go a long way in reducing these inequities and making the health care system fairer and more accessible for all. The benefits of such a system include lower maternal mortality rates, less poverty, higher levels of physical and mental health, and more economic freedom and opportunity for vulnerable communities.