OTC birth control pill, Opill, will broaden access

+ drugs and religion US Edition - Today's top story: FDA approves first daily over-the-counter birth control pill, Opill – a pharmacist and public health expert explain this new era in contraception [View in browser]( US Edition | 14 July 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Drugs have ancient roots in religion]( - [Converting empty buildings into homes is costly]( - [It’s playtime – test your news knowledge]( Lead story Sometime in early 2024, a stroll down the personal care aisle at the grocery store will offer U.S. consumers a new experience: With the FDA’s approval of the first over-the-counter oral contraceptive pill, Opill, people will be able to throw a box of oral contraceptives into their shopping carts as easily as they can reach for condoms, toothpaste or sunscreen. Although about half of U.S. states have allowed pharmacists to prescribe some form of birth control for years, many people still face significant access barriers. The newly approved once-daily pill is an [important step toward expanding that access](, and “pharmacists will play an indispensable role in that effort,” explain pharmacist Lucas Berenbrok and public health expert Marian Jarlenski, both of the University of Pittsburgh. “Although patients may seek and purchase over-the-counter birth control at locations other than community pharmacies, when patients come to a pharmacy, pharmacists can help them understand how to use the product correctly, safely and effectively prior to purchase,” they write. [ [Get our Understanding AI series – four emails delivered over the course of a week, with experts explaining this confusing topic.]( ] Amanda Mascarelli Senior Health and Medicine Editor The progestin-only pill Opill could be available in early 2024. Kwangmoozaa/iStock via Getty Images [FDA approves first daily over-the-counter birth control pill, Opill – a pharmacist and public health expert explain this new era in contraception]( Lucas Berenbrok, University of Pittsburgh; Marian Jarlenski, University of Pittsburgh With the approval of the first over-the-counter oral contraceptive, pharmacists stand to play an ever-increasing role in helping expand access to reproductive health care in the post-Roe era. Health + Medicine - [Curing America’s loneliness epidemic would make us healthier, fitter and less likely to abuse drugs]( Clay Marsh, West Virginia University At least half of surveyed US adults experienced loneliness and social isolation. Environment + Energy - [Corals are starting to bleach as global ocean temperatures hit record highs]( Ian Enochs, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Water temperatures in the 90s off Florida in July are alarming, a NOAA coral scientist writes. 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