Why aren't birth control pills OTC anyway?

[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.