Should Birth Control Pills Be Sold Over the Counter?

The nation’s largest group of obstetricians and gynecologists says birth control pills should be sold over the counter, like condoms, according to an Associated Press report. But should kids be able to get birth control without a parent’s consent?

The AP reports:

“Already, anyone 17 or older doesn’t need to see a doctor before buying the morning-after pill—a higher-dose version of regular birth control that can prevent pregnancy if taken shortly after unprotected sex. Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration held a meeting to gather ideas about how to sell regular oral contraceptives without a prescription, too. Now the influential American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is declaring it’s safe to sell the pill that way.

“’Wait, why would doctors who make money from women’s yearly visits for a birth-control prescription advocate giving that up? Half of the nation’s pregnancies every year are unintended, a rate that hasn’t changed in 20 years—and easier access to birth control pills could help,’ said Dr. Kavita Nanda, an OB/GYN who co-authored the opinion for the doctors group.”

Would you want your daughter buying birth control pills without your knowledge? Are you concerned about the safety issues that might go along with your teen buying birth control pills without a physical examination? Does this promote unsafe sex? Speak out.