Why aren't birth control pills OTC anyway?

[dkf]

Then this wouldn't be a health care debate and everyone would have access.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. They're hormones, and dosages need monitoring.

There can be side effects - probably not a good idea to make them OTC.

[HockeyMom]

2. Very true

I could not take the combination pill because of the estorgen. I took what is now called the Mini Pill.

[ingac70]

21. Plan B is OTC....

and it is just high dose BC.

[GreenPartyVoter]

23. +1

[girl gone mad]

27. Birth control is OTC in many countries.

I guess American women are just too stupid to follow pharmacist directions?

[seeviewonder]

3. I wonder why a lot of drugs aren't OTC.

I understand the hormone thing, but some other drugs shouldn't be OTC. Just my opinion, but perhaps this is just a way to increase healthcare revenues?

[Saving Hawaii]

37. Because they interact and can do weird things to the body.

For example Viagra and nitroglycerin combined can kill you. Both are common drugs (shoot, lots of women take viagra as a blood pressure med, though it goes by a different name). Wouldn't be too hard for bad, bad things to happen if either were over the counter, despite both being pretty safe.

[seeviewonder]

38. Fair enough, but I wasn't speaking about Viagra.

I'm talking more or less about prescription-strength naproxen, and other drugs (like Claritin) that have become OTC in recent years. I personally think it was all a scheme for the pharma companies to make a larger profit than they should have at the time when some of those drugs were Rx only. For the record, I do not intend to imply that I have any medical training beyond CPR and an A & P class I took in college.

[starroute]

39. I've been waiting 25 years for the eardrops for swimmer's ear to go OTC

That's when an ear-nose-and-throat specialist told me he had no idea why they already hadn't, since every other kind of anti-fungal has. I get minor external ear infections easily, so I started looking for them to show up on the drugstore shelves. I'm still looking.

[seeviewonder]

40. That's absolutely ridiculous.

Thongs of that nature are what I am talking about. What about antibiotics? Other antifungals? Herpes meds (other than Abreva)? The list goes on and on...

[cynatnite]

4. There are some weaker BCP's that can be OTC and the side-effects aren't serious at all...

They should be OTC.

[TorchTheWitch]

10. no they shouldn't

They're hormones and the patient taking them needs to be monitored. Side-effects can be horrendous for some of us. There is no such thing as one size fits all with taking hormones, and doctors need to be involved in this.

[cynatnite]

15. Not for the progesterone only pills...

They are mini pills and the side effects are minimal at best.

There is a reason why doctors prescribe these pills to breast feeding women. I worked in an OB clinic.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

5. You need the advice and expertise of a medical professional.

Really, you do. Not only are there serious potential side effects, it takes many women several attemps before they find the proper dosage and/or type for their body. They're simply not a one size fits all type of medication.

[Texasgal]

6. BCP's should not be over the counter.

there are several types with different degrees of hormones, progesterone and estrogen for different reasons as prescribed. They are not like tylenol.

With different degrees of this medicine BCP's NEED to be prescibed by a doctor that has examined you and your health history.

[cynatnite]

9. For strictly birth control and for a woman who has half a brain that knows her body...

There is no reason to keep this from being an OTC drug. Tylenol is more dangerous. It's one of the most common poisonings worldwide.

It's not saying not to have yearly exams and it's not saying it's okay to take if you have high blood pressure and other factors.

Mini pills should definitely be over the counter.

[Texasgal]

14. I'm not too sure about that.

There are very real reactions to the wrong kind of BC.

How do we know that every Woman has a half a brain?

I understand your point but I simply disagree with it.

[cynatnite]

16. Well, you can disagree with the facts if you like...

Mini pills are progesterone only pills. They have minimal side effects.

Doctors prescribe these to breast feeding mothers. At the very least, this should be OTC.

Not all pills are equal and given the large variety and strengths, some can and should be over the counter.

[Texasgal]

24. The problem I have

is that many women may not know the difference between what they need and what they don't and run out and buy an OTC without any medical guidance.

That's my main issue.

[cynatnite]

28. Completely understand...

With the huge selection of over the counter meds already on hand, that's a risk already.

There are so many different kinds of BCP's, that the weaker ones are relatively safe. The mini pill is the safest and should be OTC. It's safer than Tylenol actually.

[Texasgal]

29. I hear ya!

Honestly I think that BC should be readily available to the masses without shame or severe cost.

I understand your thoughts on the mini pill. I don't disagree that it is not safe. I disagree with people buying it OTC as a "band aid" without having a physician monitor what they need.

OTC just opens the doors for women who can benefit from it and many that may not take the right thing with horrible results. What if a women bought OTC to prevent pregnancy and the mini pill didn't work with her? lawsuit? Unwanted pregnancy?

there are many types of BCP's for a reason.

I appreciate what you are saying though, seriously.

[dkf]

35. How would you know it isn't working short of getting pregnant?

[Yo_Mama]

34. You know that, but would the average woman?

And if they were OTC, would the woman necessarily get the yearly testing?

I kind of think you're right, but I do know women that have had very odd reactions.

Also, the failure rate of the mini-pill is much higher than the failure rate for other pills, so I do not necessarily think that this meets everyone's needs:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/minipill/MY00991/DSECTION=risks

An estimated 1 to 13 out of 100 women who use the minipill will get pregnant in the first year of use. The failure rate of the minipill in highly fertile women is higher than that of other hormonal contraceptive methods.

If you become pregnant while taking the minipill, it may be difficult to recognize the signs and symptoms of pregnancy. In addition, if you do conceive there's a slightly higher chance that the pregnancy will be ectopic — when the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube.

Most of the cost of getting the generic pills comes from the annual visit, so I think a lot of women wouldn't get the annual visit if they could buy the mini-pill over the counter.

[unblock]

7. it ain't candy, you know! you think it should be easily available to boys? pre-teen girls?

it's contraindicated for quite a lot of people, and can be dangerous when used improperly.

http://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/birthcontrolpills_warning.htm

[cynatnite]

13. Not all birth control pills are equal

There are mini pills with very mild side effects such as breast tenderness and cramping just to name a few.

Cough medicine is OTC and is stored behind the counter. One only needs to show an ID or be with a parent in order to buy it.

These are such minimal issues and there is no reason for this not to be OTC.

[Warren Stupidity]

8. the issue is insurance coverage

generally health insurance policies do not cover any otc products.

The rightwing is attempting to deny access to women WHO CANNOT AFFORD the expense unless it is subsidized by their health insurance, and framing it as an issue of freedom of religion. If you have the money it doesn't matter if your insurance covers birth control or not, you can just pay for it yourself.

[seeviewonder]

11. Accordong to Limpballs...

If we should deny birth control freedom for women simply because he thinks they are "sluts" who want to have sex all the time, then we should also deny coverage for Viagra and Cialis. Viagra and Cialis are actually intended to make people want to have sex, birth control just protects women. I don't follow his meandering logic at all.

[dkf]

20. Well as long as they are prescription only and if the federal government is getting involved

The Pill has the potential to be a perpetual political football.

That can't be good.

[seeviewonder]

22. I know what you mean.

I hope the power of the women in the US shows it's full strength with this. Birth control shouldn't be an issue at all.

[ProSense]

12. Is

Viagra OTC?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002373460

[JVS]

17. Because it's not a drug, it's a hormone therapy.

Most OTC medication are simply drugs. You take the benedryl, the tylenol, the aspirin, etc. and the pain goes away (or sometimes it doesn't). The functionality of the drug is not an issue, what matters is that it metabolizes and that you know not to take over a certain amount. Birth control is an attempt to regulate the ovulation process, ideally with the least amount of hormones possible. This is best accomplished with a physician's supervision.

[cynatnite]

18. Tylenol is more dangerous than some birth control pills...

The mini pill is a progesterone only pill and has minimal side effects such as breast tenderness and cramping. Doctors regularly prescribe this to breast feeding moms. If any of them were to be OTC, this would be the first one.

Also, plenty of countries such as Mexico and Canada have BCP over the counter. American women have been known to cross the border for their pills rather than go to a doctor or clinic. I suspect money is the reason.

[loyalsister]

33. The danger depends on medical history

There is a risk of stroke with birth control pills, for example. A Dr.s evaluation is necessary to determine the degree of such risks.

[Spider Jerusalem]

25. Strictly speaking none of those is "OTC"

those are freely available even outside pharmacies. You can buy aspirin and Tylenol and Benadryl in gas stations. Over the counter medications are dispensed..."over the counter". By licensed pharmacists who will or should ask you what you're taking them for and whether you're taking any other medications that may have adverse interactions. This only becomes a problem when you have a pharmacist who refuses to dispense something on the grounds of their personal religious beliefs...but then you can always find another pharmacy.

[Gold Metal Flake]

19. This thread...

"I'm not a doctor but I play one on TV"

[Canuckistanian]

26. Same reason Viagra isn't

They're DRUGS, with serious side effects if not monitored.

And drug companies don't want to lose a CENT because of lawsuits.

[customerserviceguy]

31. I asked my pharmacist if he carried Viagra

When he said he did, I asked, "Can I get it over the counter?"

He said, "Hey, I can't guarantee what effect it will have on you!"

[customerserviceguy]

30. I can understand why a physician should be in charge of monitoring their use

But why haven't the oldest prescriptions at least been available cheaply, like those $4 Wal-Mart prescriptions? Is it the cost of potential lawsuits that keeps them pricey?

[Sgent]

32. That

and BC is constantly being reformulated due to new information. A modern BC pill is much different than one from the 60's, and much safer. I doubt that older BC pills are available at any price.

That being said, there should be some generics. However, since manufacturing is an organic process (rather than mechanical / chemical), they will always be more expensive than something like naproxen or the like.

[customerserviceguy]

36. I wonder if they're cheaper from Canadian pharmacies

I use one for my Protonix, and I pay a fourth of what it would cost through my drug plan at work. I do, however, have high-deductable insurance with a health savings account, so I have every incentive to find the cheapest way to get my prescription.