“In a Cato Institute white paper, Director of Health Policy Studies Michael F. Cannon and I pointed out that birth control pills are available in more than 100 countries without a prescription. In a January 2020Los Angeles Times column, we explained that switching a drug from prescription-only to over-the-counter status typically causes its price to fall. But don’t expect prices for the mini pill to fall soon. Because the FDA will only allow women to purchase this one brand of mini pill without a prescription, it will be shielded from price competition by rival brands.
Minors can buy lethal amounts of acetaminophen and ibuprofen without a prescription. Yet adult women must get a permission slip from another adult to exercise the right to contraceptive self-medication. And we other adults—licensed health care clinicians—think the requirement is preposterous.”