Walgreens says it won't offer mifepristone abortion pill in conservative states
The ruling applies to 21 states whose attorneys general have threatened Walgreens and other pharmacies with legal action if they dispense the pill there.< /p>
Weeks after Republican attorneys general in 21 states sent letters threatening legal action against retail drugstore chains if they distributed the abortion pill mifepristone , Walgreens said it would not distribute the pill in those states.
In January, after the Food and Drug Administration said it would allow pharmacies to retail to be certified to distribute mifepristone - the tightly regulated drug that is the first pill in the two-drug abortion regimen - Walgreens, CVS and other pharmacies said they plan to do so in states where the love ment was legal. The American Pharmacists Association said pharmacies would be very cautious about distributing in any state where they risk losing their license or facing other penalties.
“This is a very complex and ever-changing area of the law, and we take that into account when seeking certification,” said a spokesperson for Walgreens, Fraser Engerman.
He said Walgreens told 20 attorneys general, who jointly signed a letter, and the Kansas attorney general, who sent a separate letter, that it would not distribute mifepristone in their states.
The decision does not affect the second pill in the medical abortion regimen, misoprostol, which is used for several medical conditions and has long been available by prescription from retail pharmacies around the world. nationwide.
A CVS spokesperson did not immediately respond to a question about whether the company had also decided not to distribute mifepristone in these 21 states, but in January a spokeswoman said, "We plan to seek certification to distribute mifepristone where permitted by law."
Politico reported Decision Walgreens Thursday night. The chain's decision not to distribute pills in Kansas was announced last month.
The ruling applies to 21 states whose attorneys general have threatened Walgreens and other pharmacies with legal action if they dispense the pill there.< /p>
Weeks after Republican attorneys general in 21 states sent letters threatening legal action against retail drugstore chains if they distributed the abortion pill mifepristone , Walgreens said it would not distribute the pill in those states.
In January, after the Food and Drug Administration said it would allow pharmacies to retail to be certified to distribute mifepristone - the tightly regulated drug that is the first pill in the two-drug abortion regimen - Walgreens, CVS and other pharmacies said they plan to do so in states where the love ment was legal. The American Pharmacists Association said pharmacies would be very cautious about distributing in any state where they risk losing their license or facing other penalties.
“This is a very complex and ever-changing area of the law, and we take that into account when seeking certification,” said a spokesperson for Walgreens, Fraser Engerman.
He said Walgreens told 20 attorneys general, who jointly signed a letter, and the Kansas attorney general, who sent a separate letter, that it would not distribute mifepristone in their states.
The decision does not affect the second pill in the medical abortion regimen, misoprostol, which is used for several medical conditions and has long been available by prescription from retail pharmacies around the world. nationwide.
A CVS spokesperson did not immediately respond to a question about whether the company had also decided not to distribute mifepristone in these 21 states, but in January a spokeswoman said, "We plan to seek certification to distribute mifepristone where permitted by law."
Politico reported Decision Walgreens Thursday night. The chain's decision not to distribute pills in Kansas was announced last month.
What's Your Reaction?
