Governors Call on Pharmacy Retail Companies to Clarify Plans to Dispense Mifepristone for Medication Abortion

Fourteen Democratic governors have called on major pharmacy retail companies to clarify their plans to dispense mifepristone, a drug used for medication abortion. The call comes in response to recent media reports indicating that some companies may be considering not dispensing the medication due to political pressure. Walgreens is one of two major U.S. pharmacies that have promised to seek FDA certification to dispense abortion pills.

The call from the governors has been met with opposition from a coalition of anti-abortion groups, who have requested a preliminary injunction to take mifepristone off the market nationwide while their case proceeds. If access to mifepristone is halted, it could affect millions of individuals in states where medication abortion is lawfully dispensed.

The letter from the governors was signed by the governors of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Oregon. In the letter, the governors expressed their concern that the potential restriction of access to mifepristone could have a negative impact on individuals seeking to exercise their right to access safe and legal abortion care.

The issue of access to abortion medication has become increasingly politicized in recent years, with both sides of the debate attempting to influence the outcome. It remains to be seen how the pharmacy retail companies will respond to the governors’ call for clarification, and what the ultimate outcome of the legal battle will be.