FDA panel recommends birth control pill to be sold over the counter | USA TODAY

An FDA advisory panel recommended the agency allow a birth control pill to be available over the counter in the U.S. for the first time.
An FDA advisory panel on Wednesday unanimously recommended the agency allow a birth control pill to be available over the counter in the U.S. for the first time.

The panel came to the decision after a two-day public meeting mostly centered on if people could safely and effectively take the birth control drug Opill without professional supervision. Experts on the panel said they were confident they could, and the benefits of making the pill more widely available far outweigh any risks.

The advisers' decision is not binding, but the 17-0 vote paves the way for the likely approval of the pill's over-the-counter availability. The FDA is expected to make a final decision this summer.