KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Walgreens and CVS announced last month that both pharmacies plan to stock abortion pills after the Food and Drug Administration increased the pills’ availability.
However, a Walgreens executive clarified in a Feb. 17 letter to Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach that the company does not intend to dispense the drug in the state of Kansas.
Walgreens says it is currently working to get certified to supply mifepristone, a drug used to terminate pregnancy, but it won’t be able to dispense the drug in all locations.
Walgreens’ statement came in response to a Feb. 6 letter from Kobach warning that providing abortion pills through Walgreens’ mail-order business is illegal and that, under Kansas law, the drug may be administered only in the same room as the prescribing physician. the drug.
Walgreens Executive Vice President Danielle C. Gray responded by saying the pharmacy chain has “made no statement” about supplying the drug through its mail-order business and “does not intend to dispense mifepristone” in Kansas.
“This is a significant victory for the pro-life cause and for women’s health,” Kobach said in a written statement Monday. “Dispensing these pills without the presence of a supervising physician would expose women to complications and potentially even coercion. I am grateful that Walgreens has responded quickly and sensibly and intends to fully comply with the law.”
Planned Parenthood is currently providing remote medical abortion services in the state of Kansas.
Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, responded to the news in a statement saying Kobach “put politics before solving real problems.”
“Like many drugs, including those with much higher complication risks, mifepristone can be safely prescribed and refilled at the pharmacy. The real threat of coercion is when reactionary politicians intervene in areas beyond their purview and, like many in the Kansas legislature, prioritize funding for nonmedical and misguided abortion centers rather than seek ways to expand the access to health care. The Attorney General knew this was never going to be a problem, but he put politics before solving the real problems.”
Danielle Underwood, a spokeswoman for Kansans for Life, applauded the news.
“We are calling for other pharmacies to also take steps to protect the health and safety of women who would be endangered by a lack of monitoring of these deadly chemicals,” Underwood said.
KSHB 41 News contacted CVS for comment. This story will be updated if a response is received.
