Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester decries recent FDA vote, 17-0, in favor of removing prescription classification for birth control pills.

Bishop Barron responded to the recent FDA vote, which ruled in favor of authorizing birth control pills without prescription, by stating that “fertility is a gift, not a disease,” in alignment with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

“It is concerning that the FDA has a recommendation before it to approve over-the-counter hormonal contraception when there is strong evidence of the many harmful risks to women’s health," said Barron, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. "In fact, in May 2022, the FDA changed their safety prescribing protocols because of a Citizens’ Petition from healthcare professionals and educators that raised scientific evidence of the increased risk of breast cancer with the use of hormonal contraception."

The FDA approved sale of the birth control pill without a prescription, specifically for a medication, Opill, which would be allowed to be sold over the counter if it receives final approval. It would be the first birth control medication pill to be made available OTC in the U.S., according to NBC News.

Bishop Barron, who serves as the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, voiced his concerns over this possible change, not only from the perspective of Church teaching, but also for safety reasons. Without the requirement of a prescription, there are concerns as to serious side effects of the pill. These could include heightened risk of breast cancer, vaginal bleeding and neurological conditions, to name a few.

Once the prescription requirement is lifted, the U.S. will join over 100 other countries around the world to have made the pill available without a prescription, according to NBC News.