The Supreme Court looks to limit access to the abortion pill, mifepristone, while being nationwide in CVS and Walgreen’s. (France 24)
The U.S. Supreme Court justices are taking a case that could have far-reaching implications for millions of American women and for drugs regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
This decision could prove difficult for millions of Americans especially after the major decision by the Supreme Court back in 2022 where the “most conservative” Supreme Court in almost 90 years overturned Roe v. Wade, which was considered a “Super Precedent” in America. This is a landmark ruling that has been upheld for almost 50 years.
States where Abortion are legal, illegal, under threat or has been blocked by the state courts in 2024. (Washington Post)
The Supreme Court judges hearing the case on the mifepristone pill access are the same ones that overturned the Roe v. Wade decision, approved Mississippi’s 15 week abortion ban and opened the door for many states to set restrictive measures on when to get an abortion. Recently, the Florida Supreme Court passed its new abortion bill that would ban abortions after 15 weeks and would trigger another approval, which would be a six week ban that would take into affect a month later.
A group of anti-abortion doctors, Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, had asked the court to restrict access to mifepristone and limit when it could be used in a pregnancy.
The group of anti-abortion doctors argues that they might be “forced” to treat with the mifepristone pill in opposition to their moral, religious and ethical beliefs. The FDA argues that doctors are not required to prescribe mifepristone and the agency does not mandate what doctors can or cannot do.
The FDA approved mifepristone for use in 2000 and expanded its access in 2016 and 2021, permitting the drug to be prescribed by an in-person physician.
CVS and Walgreens plans to roll out mifepristone nation wide, but only in select states where abortion is legal (Anton Health).
“We do not have mifepristone in store. If you wanted to order [mifepristone] we can have it in for you to pick up, but you would need a prescription from a doctor for us to do that” – Katelyn Holmes, Walgreens Pharmacist in Cherokee County.
CVS and Walgreens have rolled out mifepristone into their stores, but only in states where abortion is legal. Walgreens has started dispensing the drug in states like New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California and more. CVS has begun filling prescriptions for mifepristone in select states where legally permissible.
The Supreme Court will issue a decision in this case by the end of June.
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