This week several media outlets reported that Opill, the first oral contraceptive that can be purchased without a prescription, will be available at drug stores, convenience stores, and grocery stores later this month. Opill was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Biden administration back in July 2023. News reports indicate that a month’s supply of Opill will retail for $19.99.

Unsurprisingly, nearly all of the media coverage about the availability of Opill was sympathetic. In particular, some outlets indicated that, post-Dobbs, it is important that minors have easier access to contraception. That said, there are legitimate concerns about allowing minors to access oral contraceptives without a prescription or their parents’ knowledge.

For instance, minors may not be fully aware of all of the health risks. Indeed, Opill may cause side effects, including ovarian cysts, abnormal bleeding, and depression. Mental health has been a significant issue among young women in recent years. Additionally, the accessibility of oral contraceptives might result in more sexual activity among minors. Minors are likely more likely than adults to fail to use Opill properly or consistently. Even worse, the failure rate of Opill is higher than that of other hormonal contraceptives.

Since 1990, the teen-pregnancy rate in the United States has fallen by over 73 percent. Data from both the National Survey of Family Growth and the Youth Risk Behavior Survey show that since the early 1990s there has been a long-term, durable decline in the percentage of teenagers who are sexually active. Easier access to an oral contraceptive may well reverse this trend. Like many past efforts to facilitate or promote contraception use, the FDA’s approval of Opill may well do more harm than good.