Abortion pills can now be sold at pharmacies, FDA rules
Enlarge (credit: ROBYN BECK / Contributor | AFP)
Last summer, US President Joe Biden criticized states attempting to restrict access to abortion pills. In response, Biden directed the Food and Drug Administration to protect access, saying that extremist governors and state legislatures" that were looking to block the mail or search a person's medicine cabinet or control a woman's actions by tracking data on her apps she uses" were wrong" and out-of-touch" with the majority of Americans." Now, the FDA has taken its biggest step yet to expand access to abortions by allowing retail pharmacies to sell medications by mail order or in drugstores.
Previously, mifepristone could only be sold by specific clinics and doctors. But now, under the FDA's new rules, all pharmacies that want to sell the abortion medication would simply need to hire an employee dedicated to ensuring FDA compliance to get started. After that, any pharmacy with certified providers can sell the pills to any patient with a prescription from a certified health provider. All pharmacies, patients, and prescribers involved must sign consent forms. Abortion medications can then be discreetly delivered at home, where the FDA determined two decades ago that the medications can be safely administered.
The FDA posted a somewhat in-depth FAQ on the rule change here.