Staff Reports
In order to give women access to abortion medication for the first time, the FDA has allowed pharmacies to dispense it.
Through the regulation change, pharmacies can now provide mifepristone to patients who have a prescription from a health provider. This means that they can now offer this medication to patients who previously had no access to it. Before the FDA allowed pharmacies to dispense abortion medication, it was only allowed to be administered by clinics, hospitals, and medical offices.
The approval of the drug by the FDA allows women to access medication that is necessary for their reproductive autonomy. In a statement, Evan Masingill, the chief executive officer of GenBioPro, said that the company is pleased that the agency has allowed pharmacies to provide this medication. He noted that the company is working with other health providers to expand access to abortion care.
In December 2021, the FDA said that it would no longer require people to go to a medical facility to get the first dose of the two drugs used for abortion. This means that the medication can now be sent via the mail.
Two of the country's largest pharmacies, Walgreens and CVS, said Wednesday that they are currently evaluating the requirements to provide the drug to their customers.
In response to a question from the Washington Examiner, a spokesperson for the company said that they are currently reviewing the requirements of the FDA regarding the availability of the drug in certain states.
Several states have enacted regulations that restrict the availability of abortion medication. One of these is Tennessee, which has a law that prohibits the mail-dispensing of the drug and prevents pharmacists from performing the procedure.
In 2021, Indiana enacted a law that prohibits medication abortion after 10 weeks. Similar regulations have been enacted in Texas, which also prohibits abortion at all stages.
The preceding is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Washington Examiner.
