Tuesday's surprise opinion could boost longtime efforts by women's advocates to make the pill more accessible.
But no one expects the pill to be sold without a prescription any time soon. A company would have to seek government permission first, and it's not clear if any are considering it.
Plus there are big questions about what such a move would mean for many women's wallets if birth control pills were no longer covered by insurance.
The opinion was issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
