Over-the-counter hormonal contraceptives are already available in Oregon, giving women easy access to birth control pills and patches.
The ruling, signed by Oregon Governor Kate Brown last July, took effect on Jan. 1, 2016.
Women, who are 18 years old and above, can already purchase contraceptive pills without requiring a doctor's prescription. All they need is to complete a health questionnaire and consult with a licensed pharmacist.
Typically, women who need birth control pills need to see a doctor and go through a health screening annually to get a prescription, but the new Oregon ruling eliminates those requirements.
The ruling states that a licensed pharmacist should receive some form of training approved by the Board of Pharmacy (BOP) before they can advise women who want to buy birth control pills.
The pharmacist should also refer the patient to her primary doctor when prescribing and dispensing the pills. It was also stated in the ruling that the pharmacist should give patients a "written record of contraceptive prescribed and dispensed."
With birth control pills now becoming readily accessible, some doctors are concerned that women might not consider yearly health check-ups important and beneficial, according to Dr. Jill Rabin, Northwell Health Women's Health Program's co-chief in ambulatory care division.
"This [new law] does not obviate the need to come into your doctor," Rabin said, according to LiveScience.
"You need to establish a relationship with a gynecologist you trust, and you also need to come in for urgent visits," she added.
Dr. Kevin Hamilton, a TriStar Summit Medical Center gynecologist, agrees that the new ruling might encourage women to stop seeing their doctor.
He also explained that leaving the assessment and decision to the pharmacist is not a good idea.
"A board-certified gynecologist will be able to make a better decision about which pill would be better suited for his or her patient than a pharmacist," Hamilton told News 10 ABC.
Oregon is the first state to have such law, but California will soon follow when the same ruling, signed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2013, takes effect in March. Two states — Washington and Colorado — have also introduced the same Oregon ruling, according to reports.
