Washington, DC – On May 11, 2023, Congresswoman Kathy Manning (NC-06), lead sponsor of the Right to Contraception Act, released the following statement regarding the unanimous vote by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel to recommend a birth control pill for over-the-counter use.
“I applaud the advisory panel’s unanimous vote to recommend making a birth control pill available for over-the-counter use. This is a monumental step forward in the push to make birth control affordable and accessible for all. “This recommendation comes at a time when Republican politicians are ramping up attacks on reproductive health care by spreading disinformation about birth control methods and conflating contraception with abortion. Now more than ever, we must acknowledge the years of scientific data proving the safety of birth control pills, push for accessible contraception, and fight to protect all FDA-approved contraceptive methods at the federal level. I’m preparing to reintroduce my ‘Right to Contraception Act’, which codifies the right to birth control into federal law, to do just that,” said Congresswoman Kathy Manning (NC-06).
On May 11th, 2023, a panel of seventeen advisors to the FDA voted unanimously to recommended over-the-counter use of Opill, a progestin-only daily birth control pill. If the FDA approves Opill for over-the-counter use, it will be the first birth control pill available without a prescription in the United States.
In March 2022, Congresswoman Manning joined over 50 Members of Congress in writing to the FDA Commissioner urging the timely review of oral contraception applications and the evidence regarding its safety and efficacy. Read the full letter here.
Congresswoman Manning is the lead sponsor of the Right to Contraception Act, legislation to codify the right to access all FDA-approved contraceptive methods into federal law. Her legislation passed the U.S. House of Representatives in the 117th Congress and she is preparing to reintroduce the legislation in the 118th Congress.
Original source can be found here.
