CVS and Walgreens will start dispensing abortion pill mifepristone in select states in coming weeks

By Ciara Linnane

Companies will offer the medication by prescription in states where it's legally allowed

CVS Health Corp. and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. said Friday they will start to offer the abortion pill mifepristone in select states starting this month.

The drug-store chains will offer the medication by prescription only at their pharmacies in states where's it's legally allowed. The news was first reported by the New York Times.

President Joe Biden welcomed the news which he said was an important milestone for a drug that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and deemed safe and effective for more than 20 years.

"The stakes could not be higher for women across America," Biden said in a statement.

He criticized the "relentless attacks on reproductive freedom by Republican elected officials," and vowed to work with Vice President Kamala Harris to fight for the healthcare that women need and restore the protections that were offered under Roe vs. Wade before it was overturned in 2022.

"We'll begin filling prescriptions for the medication in Massachusetts and Rhode Island in the weeks ahead and will expand to additional states, where allowed by law, on a rolling basis," CVS (CVS) said in a statement.

Walgreens (WBA) said it expects to start dispensing within a week, starting in select locations in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California and Illinois.

"We are beginning a phased rollout in select locations to allow us to ensure quality, safety, and privacy for our patients, providers, and team members," the company said in a statement.

The move comes ahead of a U.S. Supreme Court hearing later this month that will hear appeals from the Biden administration and the maker of mifepristone, asking the high court to reverse an appellate ruling that would cut off access to the drug through the mail and impose other restrictions, even in states where abortion remains legal, as the Associated Press reported in December.

The restrictions include shortening from the current 10 weeks to seven weeks the time during which mifepristone can be used in pregnancy.

Mifepristone is made by New York-based Danco Laboratories, and is one of two drugs used in medication abortions, which account for more than half of all abortions in the United States. More than 5 million people have used it since 2000, the AP reported.

The Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion in June 2022. That ruling has led to bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy in 14 states, with some exceptions, and once cardiac activity can be detected, which is around six weeks, in two others.

From the archives (July 2023): Supreme Court's momentous rulings over 370-day span have reshaped U.S. politics and society

CVS's stock was down 0.5% Friday, while Walgreens was up 0.8%.

-Ciara Linnane

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03-01-24 1224ET

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