American drugstore chains CVS Health and Walgreens announced that they will soon begin selling the abortion pill mifepristone in states where abortions are legal.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a rule in January 2023 that allows for greater access to mifepristone, including by expanding availability at major pharmacies.
Due to safety concerns, FDA labeling has previously been limited. CVS Health and Walgreens have now completed the process in accordance with the FDA rule change that will allow them to sell mifepristone.
The drug is used along with a second pill, misopristol, for medical abortions. This is a method in which a pregnancy is terminated using the two pills instead of surgery.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that advocates for abortion rights, more than half of all pregnancies in America are terminated through medical abortions.
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“With major retail pharmacy chains newly certified to dispense abortion medications, many women will soon have the option to pick up their prescription at a local, certified pharmacy – just like they would with any other medication,” said U.S. President Joe Biden.
“I encourage all pharmacies that want to take advantage of this option to become certified,” he said. CVS Health, the nation's largest drugstore chain, said it will begin filling prescriptions for mifepristone in Rhode Island and neighboring Massachusetts in the coming weeks.
Walgreens will begin dispensing the medication within a week. The chain will launch with a few locations in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California and Illinois.
Biden has made abortion rights a central issue of his presidential campaign. He has released abortion-themed ads and sought to portray his main rival, former President Donald Trump, as someone who could threaten Americans' personal freedoms.
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The news comes as the US Supreme Court will consider whether to restrict access to mifepristone. The decision could upend the FDA's approval and regulation of the drug, which has been considered safe for many years. A verdict is expected in July.
Access to medication abortion, particularly by mail, which was also one of the FDA's 2023 rule changes, has become a topic of heated debate.
The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which constitutionally protected abortion. Many conservative states, such as Tennessee, have since passed complete bans on abortion.
rm/wd (AP, AFP)