How the Birth Control Pill Got Over the Counter

<p>Last week, for the first time in U.S. history, federal regulators approved the sale of a birth control pill without a prescription.</p><p>Pam Belluck, a health and science correspondent for The Times, explains why, after decades of brutal battles over contraception, this decision played out so differently.</p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/pam-belluck">Pam Belluck</a>, a health and science correspondent for The New York Times.</p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>The F.D.A. approved a birth control pill to be sold without a prescription for the first time in the United States,<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/13/health/otc-birth-control-pill.html"> a milestone that could significantly expand access to contraception.</a></li><li>Here’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/14/well/live/opill-birth-control-over-the-counter.html?searchResultPosition=1">how women reacted to the news</a>.</li></ul><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit </p><p><a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily">nytimes.com/thedaily</a></p><p>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.</p>