You may have heard you can get birth control at your local Walgreens or CVS without a prescription, but the pills are not available yet at most Northeast Ohio pharmacies.
Several local pharmacies told Ideastream Public Media that they are still waiting on supplies of Opill, the new over-the-counter contraceptive.
However, there are no plans to fill prescriptions for mifepristone, an oral medication that induces abortion, at local CVS or Walgreens stores any time soon.
The Food and Drug Administration approved Opill as the nation's first over-the-counter oral contraceptive in July. Since then, the medication has made headlines as consumers anticipate its arrival.
"There are a few people calling about it because it was in the news that they can buy it now over-the-counter," said Jay Patel, pharmacist and owner of Trust and Heal Pharmacy in Kent.
The problem for some Northeast Ohio pharmacies is the wait. Patel said he's been trying to order Opill, but the supply has yet to arrive.
Opill is available online at CVS, Walgreens and Amazon. Sam's Club and Giant Eagle say they will carry the birth control pills in stores in April. A month's supply costs about $20.
Bob Kerek, owner of Colonial Pharmacy in Bath, said his wholesale supplier doesn't stock Opill yet, so he can't order it. Some of the major pharmacies may have it in stock already due to warehouse procedures or by having direct accounts with Opill manufacturer Perrigo, he said.
"The chain pharmacies, they may be able to get it. They have a different reach than I do," Kerek said. "They may have buyers that go out to manufacturers and have a purchase agreement and get it for the chain, which is different from an independent. We're small, independent, so I have to get 90% of my medication from a wholesaler."
Opill is a progestin-only oral pill that should be taken daily at the same time. This type of birth control is also known as the minipill, because it's free of estrogen. It's generally safe to use for anyone who can become pregnant, except those with breast cancer or people taking certain medications, according to the FDA.
Increasing access to birth control by offering it over-the-counter is a game-changer, Patel said. It makes a difference to patients who have previously relied on insurance for contraceptives, or who don't have insurance, he noted, adding that he's had some customers who have said they use health insurance solely for coverage of contraceptives.
"Sometimes people can't even see their doctors on time because they backed out, sometimes you don't get appointments. Imagine how many women are missing doses of the birth control, and now it's available over the counter. It's so convenient," he said.
Better access to birth control pills also eliminates the need for extra visits with the doctor, said Patel, who used to be a pharmacist in New Zealand, where birth control has been available over-the-counter since 2017, according to the Pharmaceutical Journal.
"I spoke to many women, they've been on the same birth control for years and years," Patel said. "And they're like, I don't know why I have to see a doctor every six months for this one."
Doctor visit needed for abortion pills
Though contraceptives may be appearing in pharmacies, abortions pills will not — at least not in Ohio.
Earlier this month, CVS and Walgreens announced that the major pharmacy chains would begin filling prescriptions for mifepristone, an oral medication that induces abortions. Stores in some states, like Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and California, announced plans to begin dispensing mifepristone this month.
The FDA passed a rule last year allowing pharmacies to fill prescriptions for mifepristone. Patients previously had to receive the medication directly from a doctor or by mail following telehealth consultation, NPR reported.
Ohioans will still need to obtain abortion pills from a doctor.
A 2004 Ohio law states that only physicians can administer mifepristone and it must be done in person, despite the passage of Issue 1, which enshrined reproductive and abortion rights into the state constitution last November.
Ohio abortion law also mandates that patients undergo two clinic visits to receive an abortion — an appointment for forms and consultation and the actual ingestion of mifepristone in the presence of a doctor. The second appointment cannot be less than 24 hours after the first, the law mandates.
State democrats in November introduced the Reproductive Care Act to repeal several Ohio abortion restrictions, including the mandatory 24-hour wait for an abortion.
