Walgreens and CVS, two of the largest U.S. pharmacy chains, have announced plans to start offering abortion pills this month. The move comes as the Supreme Court is set to weigh access to the pill in a high-stakes case, marking the top court’s first major abortion issue since Roe v. Wade was overturned.
The two chains received the required certification to dispense mifepristone under the Food and Drug Administration’s regulatory change issued last year. They will start rolling out the medication in a handful of states where abortion is legal.
Walgreens expects to begin dispensing within a week, consistent with federal and state laws, in select locations in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California, and Illinois. CVS, on the other hand, plans to fill prescriptions for the medication in the weeks ahead in states where legally permissible, including in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
President Biden called the move “an important milestone,” stating that mifepristone has been deemed safe and effective by the FDA for more than 20 years. He encouraged all pharmacies that want to pursue this option to seek certification.
Under the FDA’s regulatory change, pharmacies can apply to become certified to dispense mifepristone. However, approved pharmacies still need to comply with the laws of the state they are located in, some of which restrict access to abortion pills. Certified pharmacies can offer mifepristone only after receiving a prescription from a certified health provider.
The move by Walgreens and CVS has sparked nationwide discussions and reactions. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on March 26 in a dispute over access to mifepristone, with a ruling expected by late June. This development has the potential to significantly impact access to abortion pills across the country.
With major retail pharmacy chains newly certified to dispense medication abortion, many women will soon have the option to pick up their prescription at a local, certified pharmacy—just as they would for any other medication. The expansion of availability to mifepristone is likely to have far-reaching implications for women’s healthcare in the United States.
