​Do medical experts support the change?

Many reproductive health experts have long sought to make birth control more easily accessible, and there are studies showing that it is safe for women to obtain contraceptives without a doctor’s prescription, and that women will still, for the most part, visit doctors for gynecological exams and screening for cervical cancer and sexually transmitted infections. Many experts say the ideal would be for contraceptives to be available with no prescription at all, but they acknowledge that the process of converting them into over-the-counter products –- which requires companies to apply for Food and Drug Administration approval –- could take a long time. Still, some, including the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, are concerned that laws like Oregon’s could slow down the drive toward over-the-counter access.





