Walgreens Boots Alliance Might Be First Pharmacy To Dispense Abortion Pills, Others To Follow

Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc WBA is reportedly the first major national pharmacy chain to say it plans to dispense the abortion pill under the FDA's new rules.
Tuesday, the FDA said it would allow pharmacies to offer abortion pills, mifepristone, in the U.S. Pharmacies must complete a form for certification to distribute the abortion pills.
Any pharmacy to become certified to dispense mifepristone, an FDA-approved medication for use up to 10 weeks in pregnancy.
Other companies that may follow suit include CVS Health Corp CVS and Rite Aid Corp RAD, writes Wall Street Journal.
CVS Health is reviewing the "safety program for mifepristone to determine the requirements to dispense in states that do not restrict the dispensing of medications prescribed for elective termination of pregnancy," a company spokeswoman said.
Reuters writes that medication abortion accounts for more than half of U.S. abortions. The decision will expand access in states where abortion remains legal, but its impact in states that have banned abortion will be limited.
Some independent pharmacies said that they'd like to become certified to dispense mifepristone, said Ronna Hauser, senior vice president of policy and pharmacy affairs for the National Community Pharmacists Association, which has 19,400 members.
Price Action: WBA shares are down 4.53% at $35.80 premarket on the last check Thursday.