Women's History Month: Pharmacy Chains CVS Health, Walgreens To Start Dispensing Abortion Pill Mifepristone In Select States

Pharmacy chain giants CVS Health Corp CVS and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc WBA have announced plans to dispense the abortion pill mifepristone, following FDA guidelines issued last year. 

Last year, republican attorneys general in 20 states warned CVS and Walgreens against mailing abortion pills in their jurisdictions.

Both pharmacy chains confirmed their certification and intend to introduce mifepristone in stores, starting with a phased rollout in select states.

Walgreens is set to initiate the service in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California, and Illinois within the next week, the New York Times reported, citing Fraser Engerman, Walgreens’ spokesperson. 

Meanwhile, CVS will begin dispensing in all of its Massachusetts and Rhode Island pharmacies in the coming weeks, the NYT report added, citing Amy Thibault, a CVS spokeswoman.

The pharmacy giants plan to expand their services to states where abortion is legal gradually and pharmacy dispensation is permissible, covering about half of the states. 

However, they will closely monitor states like Kansas, Montana, and Wyoming, where abortion restrictions are currently enjoined due to legal challenges.

Walgreens remains cautious, with Engerman noting they will not dispense in states with unclear laws to protect their pharmacists and staff.

A Supreme Court decision, expected later this month, could impact the availability of the medication, particularly if the ruling upholds restrictions on mailing mifepristone.

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to deliberate on the future of mifepristone, a crucial drug employed in over half of all abortions within the U.S. 

The case revolves around the FDA’s endorsement of mifepristone. 

The potential outcome could lead the court, which previously ruled 6-3, to overturn Roe and decide on this matter sometime in the forthcoming year.

Last April, a U.S. federal appeals court temporarily blocked a decision by a Texas judge to halt the FDA’s approval of a widely used abortion drug.

The abortion pill mifepristone will remain available in the U.S. for now but with some restrictions, including requiring in-person doctor visits to obtain the drug and limiting its use to the first seven weeks of pregnancy from the current ten, a federal appeals court ruled.

Price Action: CVS stock is down 0.55% at $73.96, and WBA shares are up 0.98% at $21.47 on the last check Friday.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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