Bishop Robert Barron expressed his disappointment in and concern about the recent approval granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the first over-the-counter birth control pill, known as Opill.

“This action by a government entity flies in the face of responsible medical practice and concerns for women’s health,” Barron said in a statement. “Claims that the benefits of this action outweigh the risks are unfounded, especially in light of strong evidence of the many harmful risks of hormonal contraception to women’s health.”

Barron is the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee for Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, as well as the Bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota.

“Allowing this hormonal contraception to be dispensed ‘over the counter’—without the supervision of a doctor and contrary to the mounting evidence of many harmful side effects—violates the Hippocratic Oath by putting the health of women at grave risk," Barron said in the USCCB statement.

In May, the FDA granted approval for the sale of birth control pills without a prescription. Following a unanimous 17-0 vote, the panel agreed to make the birth control pill called Opill available over the counter. With this final approval, Opill becomes the first birth control pill to be accessible without a prescription in the United States, according to NBC News.

The availability of the birth control pill without medical supervision has raised concerns regarding its safety and effectiveness, considering the requirement for daily intake to ensure its efficacy. The pill carries potential side effects such as an elevated risk of breast cancer, vaginal bleeding and neurological conditions, among other risks. The pill is already available without a prescription in more than 100 countries worldwide, NBC News reported.

“Fertility is a gift, not a disease," Barron said in May, regarding the FDA vote in favor of over the counter contraceptives. "Contraceptives exist to suppress the healthy functions of human reproduction. The mounting evidence of the many harmful side effects of hormonal contraceptives demonstrates that they are not good medicine.”