Walgreens, CVS Plan to Start Offering Abortion Pills

Walgreens Boot Alliance Inc and CVS Health Corp said on Wednesday they plan to seek certification to dispense abortion pills following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision to allow retail pharmacies to offer the drug in the United States for the first time.

"We are working through the registration, necessary training of our pharmacists, as well as evaluating our pharmacy network in terms of where we normally dispense products that have extra FDA requirements and will dispense these consistent with federal and state laws," Walgreens said in an emailed statement. CVS Health also said it plans to seek certification to dispense mifepristone, where legally permissible.

The FDA on Tuesday finalized a rule allowing mifepristone, one of two drugs used in medication abortions, to be dispensed by retail pharmacies. The health agency finalized the changes after reviewing supplemental applications from Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro, the two companies that make the drug in the United States.

The regulatory change will make medication abortion, which accounts for more than half of U.S. abortions, more accessible in states where abortion remains legal, but its impact in states that have banned abortion will be limited.

Retail pharmacies will have to weigh whether or not to offer the pill given the political controversy surrounding abortion, and determine where they can do so.