Group: Birth Control Pills Should Be Available Without A Prescription

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says the health risks associated with oral contraceptives are low, and should be available without a prescription.

The group says it would cut down on the number of unwanted pregnancies. And, they also point out, aspirin and acetaminophen are on drug store shelves even though they have health risks.

Dr. Jacques Moritz of Roosevelt Hospital in New York says the pill has been shown to be "very, very safe." There is, however, a small chance to develop blood clots.

But not everyone agrees with the group.

"They make it sound like it's nothing more than an aspirin when it very definitely is more than that," said Janice Shaw Crouse of Concerned Women of America, an organization focused on bringing Christian principles to public policy. "All you have to do is open up the instructions when you buy a package and you see all the health risks that are listed there."

At this point, the group is just recommending that the pill be put on drug store shelves. More research would need to be done, and the FDA would have to give final approval.