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After reviewing decades of published studies, a team of pediatric, adolescent and women’s health experts concludes that regulatory, behavioral and scientific evidence supports switching oral contraceptives from prescription-only status to over-the-counter (OTC) availability.
Moreover, the experts say, the evidence also supports OTC access for teens and adult women, citing studies showing that teens are capable of safely and properly using “the pill” to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
A report on the literature review was published March 14in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
“Decades of research show that a majority of adolescents initiate sex before the age of 18 and that earlier use of contraception reduces the risk of teen pregnancy. Our review strongly suggests that giving teens easier access to various contraceptives will not lead to more sex but would result in fewer unwanted pregnancies,” says Krishna Upadhya, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the paper’s lead author.
The review by Upadhya and her colleagues comes as reproductive health service providers and federal policymakers continue to debate moving oral contraceptives to OTC status, particularly for teenagers. Additionally, a partnership between HRA Pharma and Ibis Reproductive Health to begin an application for an OTC oral contraceptive to the Food and Drug Administration was recently announced.
For the review, the Johns Hopkins-led team looked for teen-specific data related to the safety and effectiveness of oral contraceptives, pregnancy risk associated with typical use of various forms of contraception, teen ability to use oral contraceptives correctly and consistently, the impact of OTC access on sexual behaviors, and concerns that OTC access might reduce clinician counseling opportunities with young people.
Read more here. (Hopkins Medicine)
Moreover, the experts say, the evidence also supports OTC access for teens and adult women, citing studies showing that teens are capable of safely and properly using “the pill” to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
A report on the literature review was published March 14in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
“Decades of research show that a majority of adolescents initiate sex before the age of 18 and that earlier use of contraception reduces the risk of teen pregnancy. Our review strongly suggests that giving teens easier access to various contraceptives will not lead to more sex but would result in fewer unwanted pregnancies,” says Krishna Upadhya, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the paper’s lead author.
The review by Upadhya and her colleagues comes as reproductive health service providers and federal policymakers continue to debate moving oral contraceptives to OTC status, particularly for teenagers. Additionally, a partnership between HRA Pharma and Ibis Reproductive Health to begin an application for an OTC oral contraceptive to the Food and Drug Administration was recently announced.
For the review, the Johns Hopkins-led team looked for teen-specific data related to the safety and effectiveness of oral contraceptives, pregnancy risk associated with typical use of various forms of contraception, teen ability to use oral contraceptives correctly and consistently, the impact of OTC access on sexual behaviors, and concerns that OTC access might reduce clinician counseling opportunities with young people.
Read more here. (Hopkins Medicine)
