COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio adults could obtain certain prescription birth-control pills directly from participating pharmacists under a bill introduced in the state House. House Bill 1004, introduced Sept. 8 by Republican Reps. Adam Bird of New Richmond and Marilyn John of Richland County, would direct the State Board of Pharmacy to create a statewide protocol for dispensing oral contraceptives without a prescription. The proposal applies to adults 18 and older. Pharmacists would need to complete an accredited or state-approved training course and follow the protocol. The rules would specify which pills could be provided and establish requirements for screening patients, documenting care, notifying patients, making referrals and maintaining records. The State Medical Board would receive 60 days to review and comment on a draft protocol. The Board of Pharmacy could reject the medical board’s recommendations, but it would have to explain that decision before adopting final rules. The bill does not cover contraceptive patches, vaginal rings, injections or implants. It also would not change pharmacies’ existing authority to sell over-the-counter birth control. Opill, the first daily oral contraceptive approved for nonprescription use in the United States, has been available in stores and online since 2024. HB 1004 has not been assigned to a legislative committee, meaning hearings cannot begin yet. The House’s next scheduled voting session is Nov. 10. The legislation also addresses nicotine-replacement therapy. Current Ohio law allows trained pharmacists to dispense those products without a prescription under protocols established by physicians or certain advanced-practice nurses. HB 1004 would replace those prescriber-specific protocols with a statewide protocol developed by the Board of Pharmacy and broaden the legal definition to include drugs approved for tobacco or smoking cessation. The proposal comes as lawmakers consider broader changes to pharmacists’ responsibilities. House Bill 629, pending in the House Health Committee, would allow authorized pharmacists to test for and treat conditions including influenza, strep throat, COVID-19 and urinary tract infections. Senate Bill 230, which would permit pharmacists to screen, test and treat certain respiratory illnesses, passed the Senate June 10. Ohio is among the states that have not yet authorized pharmacists to prescribe contraceptives. Thirty states and Washington, D.C., allow some form of pharmacy-based contraceptive prescribing, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Those policies commonly require pharmacist training and patient screening. If enacted, the Ohio proposal could reduce one barrier to birth-control access for adults who face difficulty scheduling a traditional medical appointment, while leaving implementation details to the pharmacy board’s statewide protocol.