Opinion

The French company that has asked for permission to sell birth control pills over the counter in the United States says the timing of its request to the Food and Drug Administration, coming soon after the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, is coincidental. That might be, but the court’s decision eliminating the constitutional right to abortion makes more urgent than ever the imperative of easily accessible birth control. As with any drug, the FDA must follow the science. But if overthe-counter birth control makes sense — and for years it has worked safely in other countries — the agency should approve it as soon as possible.