Two major American pharmacy chains, Walgreens and CVS, announced Friday that they will begin selling the abortion pill by prescription in the coming weeks in a few states where abortions are still legal.
This announcement comes at a time when the abortion pill is the subject of a fierce legal battle started by anti-abortion activists.
Until recently, the abortion pill was not available in pharmacies in the United States, but was typically purchased at specific locations, such as abortion clinics.
The two chains, which have a presence throughout most of the country, have now received the necessary certification to sell prescription-only mifepristone, the first of two pills taken as part of a medical abortion.
CVS said it plans to begin selling in the states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island “in the coming weeks” and plans to subsequently expand this capability to “additional states as permitted by law.”
Walgreens, in turn, announced that it would begin selling the pill in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California and Illinois “within a week.”
The group declined to reveal the number and locations of participating pharmacies “in the interest of pharmacist and patient safety” – a statement that highlights tensions over the issue.
Walgreens also announced plans to expand sales of this pill to “all states” where it is “legal.”
Since the Supreme Court's decision in June 2022 to strike down the federal guarantee of the right to abortion, abortion—whether surgical or medical—has been banned or severely restricted in approximately twenty states.
In the face of this attack on abortion rights, federal authorities have sought to use the resources at their disposal to improve access where possible.
In January 2023, health authorities changed regulations to allow the sale of mifepristone in pharmacies, access to which has been strictly regulated since its approval in 2000 by the American Medicines Agency (FDA).
At the time, Walgreens and CVS announced plans to obtain the required certification from manufacturers Danco and GenBioPro.
Democratic President Joe Biden on Friday welcomed an “important step to ensure access to mifepristone,” which is now available in pharmacies “like any other medicine.”
“The stakes could not be higher for women in America,” he added, condemning Republican elected officials’ “fierce attacks” on the issue.
The US Supreme Court is due to review a currently suspended decision by an ultra-conservative appeals court at the end of the month. If confirmed, it would significantly reduce the maximum number of weeks of pregnancy allowed for taking the abortion pill and prohibit its delivery by mail.