FX.co ★ Walgreens, CVS To Sell Abortion Pill Mifepristone Starting In March

Prominent pharmacy chains, Walgreens Boot Alliance Inc. and CVS Health Corp., are set to begin selling the abortion pill, mifepristone, in numerous states where its sale is legal. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has certified both companies, allowing them to distribute the medication in their retail locations.

President Joe Biden recently announced that several leading pharmacy chains had been newly authorized to sell abortion medications. He hailed this as a historic decision, encouraging any interested pharmacies to seek certification.

CVS will introduce generic mifepristone, produced by GenBioPro, into its locations, while Walgreens will offer the branded Mifeprex from drugmaker Danco.

Biden highlighted in a statement that mifepristone has maintained approval from the FDA for over two decades for its safety and efficacy. Soon, many women will have the convenient option of collecting their prescriptions from their local certified pharmacies.

According to the FDA website, Mifeprex (mifepristone) and its generic variant have been approved to terminate intrauterine pregnancies up to 10 weeks. Mifeprex first received FDA approval in the year 2000, with the generic version following in 2019.

Under the Mifepristone REMS Program, the medication must be dispensed under the supervision of certified prescribers or by certified pharmacies.

In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that constitutionally protected a woman's right to an abortion for nearly half a century. As a result, in some states abortions remain legal and others have outlawed it.

In January 2023, the FDA acted based on evidence to facilitate safer access to mifepristone. They approved the use of telehealth to prescribe the medication, and also allowed certified pharmacies to sell it directly to patients.

It was reported post this development that Walgreens and CVS were considering providing abortion pills in their retail locations.

Late in January 2023, President Biden issued an order to further safeguard access to medication for abortion.

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