CVS and Walgreens, two of the nation’s largest pharmacy chains, will begin to sell the abortion pill, mifepristone, in some states this month.
This decision comes after the FDA announced last year that it would allow retail pharmacies to begin selling the drug, making the drug more accessible in states where abortion is legal.
Walgreens said it would begin to sell the drug in states like New York, Pennsylvania, Massachustetts, California, and Illinois. CVS announced they will begin with stores in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and continue expanding on a “rolling basis.”
Previously, mifepristone had to be dispensed by an authorized clinic or through special mail-order pharmacies. Both pharmacy chains have stated that women will still need a doctor’s prescription to obtain mifepristone and the drug will not be available over the counter or sent by mail.
President Biden called this move “an important milestone in ensuring access to mifepristone.” He added, “I encourage all pharmacies that want to pursue the option to seek certification.”
This anti-life decision by CVS and Walgreens arrives while we wait for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA. Here the Supreme Court will decide if the FDA’s actions in 2016 and 2021 to expand the drug were unlawful. Oral arguments are set for March 26th of this year.
This expanded access to mifepristone may be short-lived. We expect the Supreme Court to rule by the end of June. If the Supreme Court states that the FDA acted unlawfully, mifepristone would not be able to be mailed and dispensed by any retail pharmacies.
Don’t miss important Pro-Life stories like this.
>> Get the Pro-Life Weekly Highlight just once a week:
Chemical abortions account for more than half of the U.S. abortions. These destructive measures taken by CVS and Walgreens will make it faster and easier for women to obtain abortions. Women can now go to their personal doctors, ask for a prescription, and pick it up in a few hours at their local pharmacy. This is much faster than waiting to receive the pill by mail which can take days or even weeks. We expect many independent pharmacies to also dispense the drug soon.
How do these changes affect Texas women?
Abortion is illegal in Texas. CVS and Walgreens will not be dispensing the drug in Texas or any other state where abortion is illegal. Instead, many Texas women are using telemedicine or traveling to neighboring states as a way to obtain the drug.
Mifepristone is unsafe. The abortion industry has created the narrative that the drug is safer than Tylenol. This is false. Many women have had medical complications and physiological effects after a chemical abortion. This decision made by CVS and Walgreens will only create more harm.
