Washington D.C., Jan 4, 2023 / 11:20 am
Yesterday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially changed its policy to allow pharmacies, such as CVS and Walgreens, to sell mifepristone, the drug known commonly as the abortion pill.
Mifepristone is the first of the two pills used in a chemical abortion. The drug works by cutting off nutrients necessary for a fetus to continue developing. The second drug, misoprostol, is taken 24 to 48 hours later and induces contractions that expel the dead unborn child.
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, abortion pills and chemical abortion have become an increasingly debated issue. According to the New York Times, abortion pills now account for more than half of abortions in the U.S.
Until yesterday, FDA policy only allowed certified doctors, clinics, and some mail-order pharmacies to dispense mifepristone. Now, FDA policy allows any patient with a prescription to obtain mifepristone from her local retail pharmacy.