Jeffrey A. Singer is a surgeon.

The FDA’s outdated prescription rules are failing women and opioid users

Medications
March 25, 2025

An excerpt from Your Body, Your Health Care.

Tens of millions of American women—more than four out of five women who have had sexual intercourse—have used oral contraceptives, which are crucial for reducing unwanted pregnancies and the incidence of abortion. Obtaining a physician’s prescription can add up to $200 plus time and inconvenience to the cost of “the pill.” Nearly a third of American women who seek prescriptions for oral …

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The FDA’s outdated prescription rules are failing women and opioid users

We need a new Hippocratic Oath that puts patient autonomy first

Physician
May 30, 2023

May is the month most American medical students finally see four years of grueling work bear fruit. Most U.S. medical schools hold commencement exercises in May, conferring “doctor of medicine” degrees in elaborate ceremonies. During these ceremonies, graduates recite oaths inspired by the 5th-century B.C. oath of Hippocrates of Kos, the “father of medicine.”

In the mid-20th century, medical schools began administering modernized …

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We need a new Hippocratic Oath that puts patient autonomy first

It’s time to make oral contraceptives available without a prescription

Medications
January 2, 2018

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At his recent confirmation hearing, Alex Azar, President Trump’s nominee for secretary of Health and Human Services, was grilled by senators who wanted to know where he stands on requiring employers to provide oral contraception coverage in their employee health plans — even if employers object on religious or moral grounds. While avoiding specifics, …

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It’s time to make oral contraceptives available without a prescription