Con

OTC status for birth control pills would decrease privacy.

If birth control pills were available on pharmacy aisles, purchases would be public and subject to the judgment and gossip of anyone in sight. Many people may prefer to keep their contraceptive use between them and their doctors.

Olivia Alperstein, Communications and Policy Associate at Congressional Progressive Caucus Center, stated “The concept of over-the-counter birth control ignores the grim reality that not all people can just go to a pharmacy and easily purchase birth control. Some face religious and social backlash for buying pills in full view of their pharmacist and people from their community.… Some are young and under a certain state’s law can’t purchase birth control without a parent’s consent. Some are transgender or gender-nonconforming.… The list goes on.” [63]

59% of sexually active teen girls would rather stop getting all reproductive health care services than have to tell their parents about their contraceptive use. But, 99% of those teens would continue having sex. Teens want their contraceptive use kept private and accessing birth control in the middle of a pharmacy where they might run into a neighbor or teacher could stop some teens from preventing pregnancy. [64]

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