HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — More accessible birth control is now available here in Central Georgia. The Opill hit stores like Walgreens, CVS and local pharmacies within the last two weeks.
Now picking up birth control can be just as easy as picking up Tylenol or allergy medicine in a pharmacy.
"Not everyone has insurance, so they can't go to the doctors, get a prescription, then go to the pharmacy," Parth Patel shared.
That's why pharmacies like Bonaire Pharmacy now offer the FDA-approved daily birth control pill, Opill.
"It cuts down the cost for patients that have all of those hurdles to cross before they can get birth control," Patel shared.
He says it's not just to help the uninsured.
"Patients that want to get on birth control but are just not able to get in touch with their providers for whatever reason, this allows them to have this access," Patel said.
It's sold in one-month and three-month supplies, and it ranges from $20 to $60.
"Two patients have come and bought them, and we haven't heard any complaints of side effects from them yet," he shared about their Robins Pharmacy location.
Atrium Health Navicent's academic OBGYN Generalist, Siping He, says it's made to be a safe option.
"Patients themselves may have said, 'Oh I heard from so and so that it impacts fertility', it really does not," she said.
It's breaking barriers to accessibility saying: "We're fortunate in Macon that there are so many options to see a doctor and get in, but if you live somewhere further out, you may not have that access."
She says like any birth control, you have to use it as directed for it to work.
"In the event you skip enough pills or forget, you could get pregnant just because you aren't taking it properly," she shared.
Patel and He says while the Opill is safe and accessible, you should always try to talk to a doctor about what's best based on your background.
Experts warn that the Opill can't be used as an emergency contraceptive.