First Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill Approved in the U.S.

For the first time in U.S history, females will be able to purchase birth control pills over-the-counter.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the sale of Opill, made by drugmaker Perrigo, without a prescription.  The nonprescription birth control pills won't be available over-the-counter though until sometime next year.  Until then, teens and women will still need a prescription to purchase the hormone-based oral contraceptives.

Opill will become the first birth control pill to be available on stores shelves, rather than behind the counter, most likely in January or February.  Officials say there won't be an age restriction as far as who can make a purchase.  So far, Perrigo hasn't indicated how much the medication will cost, but as a general rule over-the-counter medications are generally much cheaper than prescriptions.  The downside is they won't be covered by insurance.

Other drugs for ailments such as heartburn and allergies made the switch to over-the-counter medications available to consumers years ago.

Hormone-based pills remain the most common form of birth control in the U.S.   Women's health groups have pushed for wider access to birth control pills for years adding that young women and those from low-income and minority backgrounds face extra hurdles in getting them without a prescription.