Walgreens, CVS Will Pursue Certification To Sell Abortion Pills
Pharmacy giants Walgreens and CVS said Wednesday that they will take the regulatory steps to be able to dispense mifepristone, the first drug in the two-drug protocol of a medicated abortion. The decisions follow a new FDA rule allowing retail pharmacies to dispense the medication for the first time.
Reuters:
Walgreens, CVS Plan To Start Offering Abortion Pills
Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc and CVS Health Corp said on Wednesday they plan to offer abortion pills following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision to allow retail pharmacies to offer the drug in the country for the first time. The FDA on Tuesday finalized a rule allowing one of two drugs to be dispensed by retail pharmacies, but sellers will have to weigh whether or not to offer the pill. U.S. abortion rights were curtailed in 2022 when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision. (1/4)
Stat:
Walgreens To Pursue Certification To Provide Abortion Pills In Pharmacies
The new FDA regulation still requires pharmacies to fill out paperwork to be certified to distribute mifepristone, and requires that they check the provider’s credentials as well. The certification is part of a risk management program that the FDA has required since the pill was first approved in 2000. At the time, the program reflected concerns over ensuring safe use of the medicine. But since then, a growing number of experts have argued that the program amounts to red tape that is no longer necessary, given the safety and efficacy of the drug. (Boodman and Silverman, 1/4)
Also —
Reuters:
Explainer: What Does The FDA's New Rule Mean For The Fight Over Abortion Pills?
Previously, mifepristone had to be dispensed by an authorized clinic or through certain specialty mail-order pharmacies — a process that could take days or even weeks if a clinic is busy. Once pharmacies begin dispensing the drug in states that allow abortion, it "will make it much easier to access the pill," according to Naomi Cahn, a professor at University of Virginia School of Law. (Pierson, 1/4)
Columbus Dispatch:
FDA Allows Abortion Pills To Be Sold At Pharmacies − But Not In Ohio
"Unfortunately, in Ohio, politics trump science and medical fact once again," Pro-Choice Ohio deputy director Jaime Miracle said. Ohio reported 10,240 medication-induced abortions – nearly 47% of all abortions – in 2021, the most recent year data is available. (Balmert, 1/4)
In other news related to abortion from across the states —
Salt Lake Tribune:
Utah’s Abortion Ban Could Go Into Effect If Lawmakers Pass This New Bill
While some of the first bills being prepared for the upcoming session give Utahns a glimpse of what abortion policy could look like in the future, a proposal from Rep. Brady Brammer, R-Pleasant Grove, could upend the past. (Anderson Stern, 1/4)
KHN:
In North Carolina, More People Are Training To Support Patients Through An Abortion
Lauren Overman has a suggested shopping list for her clients preparing to get an abortion. The list includes a heating pad, a journal, aromatherapy oils — things that could bring physical or emotional comfort after the procedure. Overman is an abortion doula. (Donnelly, 1/5)
AP:
New Jersey Sets Aside $15M For Abortion Provider Upgrades
New Jersey will award $15 million in zero-interest loans and grants to health care facilities that provide abortion services for facility improvements and increased security, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy said Wednesday. The new financial aid stems from last year’s U.S. Supreme Court decision to strip away the federal right to abortion, the governor said in a statement. (Catalini, 1/4)
AP:
Abortion, Spending Likely Battles In New Nebraska Session
The body is currently made up of 32 senators registered as Republicans and 17 registered as Democrats. That split looms large over the issue of abortion. A Republican-led effort last year to pass a near total abortion ban fell two votes short of garnering the 33 needed to overcome a filibuster. (Beck, 1/4)
And —
The 19th:
States Could Expand Paid Leave, Child Tax Credit For Families In 2023
The United States started 2023 as, yet again, one of the few wealthy nations without any national paid family leave or paid sick leave program. And with Congress divided, advocates are turning to the states to bolster benefits for workers and families — pointing to the nationwide rollback of abortion access and a “tripledemic” of COVID-19, RSV and seasonal flu that swept the nation as proof of the urgency of these measures. (Panetta, 1/4)
