(NewsNation) — Walgreens and CVS chains in select states will begin selling the abortion pill mifepristone as soon as next week, the companies announced Friday.
Both pharmacy chains completed the FDA certification process to dispense the pill.
Walgreens announced the drug will only be available 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,” Walgreens said in a statement.
CVS will start dispensing mifepristone at pharmacies in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the New York Times reported. A specific date was not mentioned, but Amy Thibault, a spokesperson for the company, told the NYT patients can expect the drug to be available “in the weeks ahead.”
President Joe Biden said the move is an important milestone in ensuring access to the drug.
“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. I encourage all pharmacies that want to pursue this option to seek certification,” the president said.
Both companies said they would not dispense the drug in states where abortion laws were unclear. However, CVS and Walgreens will continue to monitor changes in state laws in those states, the NYT reported.
This comes at a time when abortion remains a major issue in politics, policy and U.S. courts. The abortion landscape has been in flux since the June 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, which touched off a round of abortion policy changes and new litigation around the procedure.
There are still looming ballot questions and court decisions. And lawmakers could tweak current abortion laws.
