The next commissioner of the FDA should acknowledge and bridge barriers to healthcare, namely for women in the U.S., Raegan McDonald-Mosley, MD, wrote Oct. 24 for The Hill.
Dr. McDonald-Mosley, who is a chief medical adviser for the Contraceptive Access Initiative and practicing obstetrician-gynecologist, said the next FDA commissioner should work to ensure that methods of birth control become available over the counter, as some methods of birth control meet the requirements of over-the-counter medications.
Dr. McDonald-Mosley also said the next commission must commit to an "evidence-based and timely review" of the proposed prescription-to-over-the-counter switch for birth control.
She also noted that the lack of inclusion of women of reproductive age in clinical trials has led to incomplete data sets preventing individuals from making informed decisions about their healthcare.
"A potential nominee must trust people to make their own decisions regarding their reproductive health," Dr. McDonald-Mosley wrote. "[Seventy] percent of women of reproductive age favor being able to access the pill on the store shelf. It is long past time for the FDA to take the lead by removing unnecessary barriers."