Not quite OTC: birth control mandate.

• Author: Slade, Stephanie
• Position: Citings - Over-the-counter purchasing of contraceptives - Brief article

As of January 1,2016, women in Oregon can skip the doctor's visit that other states require before they're allowed to purchase birth control pills. Henceforth, pharmacists there can issue prescriptions for hormonal contraceptives themselves.

The change moves the Beaver State closer to the over-the-counter scheme endorsed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in 2012. It doesn't go all the way, however, since technically the pills are still regulated as prescription meds. Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) and other Republicans last year proposed doing what the group actually called for: allowing birth control pills to be sold to anyone at any time without a prescription at all.

When it comes to a medication's effectiveness, convenience matters: If someone can run out to the drug store at whatever time of day is best for her, she's less likely to miss doses. "Being able to...