A leading doctors' group is calling for birth control pills to be available over the counter.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says birth control pills should be available without a prescription. ACOG says the health risks associated with the pills are low and mostly affect women with high blood pressure or women who smoke. The doctors argue that aspirin and acetaminophen are on drug store shelves even though they have health risks.
According to ACOG, making it easier to get birth control pills should help cut down on unwanted pregnancies. But critics say birth control pills can be much more dangerous and are uneasy about eliminating a doctor's supervision.
This proposal by the OB-GYN association is just a recommendation. More research would need to be done and the FDA would have to give final approval.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says birth control pills should be available without a prescription. ACOG says the health risks associated with the pills are low and mostly affect women with high blood pressure or women who smoke. The doctors argue that aspirin and acetaminophen are on drug store shelves even though they have health risks.
According to ACOG, making it easier to get birth control pills should help cut down on unwanted pregnancies. But critics say birth control pills can be much more dangerous and are uneasy about eliminating a doctor's supervision.
This proposal by the OB-GYN association is just a recommendation. More research would need to be done and the FDA would have to give final approval.
Charlotte Ames is the area's only local Health Reporter and brings you the latest medical health news weeknights. You can catch Healthcast on WTAJ News at 5:00pm and her Health Headlines report on WTAJ News at 5:30pm.