California Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced that the state of California will no longer do business with the pharmacy chain Walgreens, after the company announced that it will not sell abortion pills, even in states where it may be legal.
Here’s what we know.
When was the announcement made? The announcement was made in a tweet from Newsom on Monday, saying, “California won’t be doing business with @walgreens — or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women’s lives at risk.”
The Washington Post reported that there are 20 states where Walgreens plans to not sell the pill, including Montana, Kansas, Alaska and Iowa, where abortion medicine is legal and accessible.
Republican attorneys general have warned companies that entities who sell the drug are at risk of breaking the law, according to Reuters.
A spokesperson for Newsom said, “California is reviewing all relationships between Walgreens and the state. We will not pursue business with companies that cave to right wing bullies pushing their extremist agenda or companies that put politics above the health of women and girls.”
What is the drug Walgreens won’t sell? CNBC reported that the Walgreens company has said it plans to become certified to sell the drug mifepristone in states where it is legal to do so.
The FDA reported that mifepristone is “a drug that blocks a hormone called progesterone that is needed for a pregnancy to continue. Mifepristone, when used together with another medicine called misoprostol, is used to end a pregnancy through ten weeks gestations.”
A total of 12 Democratic states have made plans to sue the FDA for more accessibility to mifepristone and other abortion pills, according to the Deseret News.
A Walgreens statement on the drug and its distribution said, “Once we are certified by the FDA, we will dispense this medication consistent with federal and state laws.”
Has Walgreens commented on the issue? The statement continues, “We want to be very clear about what our position has always been: Walgreens plans to dispense Mifepristone in any jurisdiction where it is legally permissible to do so.”
Other states, including Nevada, are concerned about whether or not mifepristone will be available through pharmacy chains in states where it is legal to dispense the drug, according to The Hill.
“While abortion remains legal in Nevada, instability in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the constitutional right to an abortion has sowed tremendous confusion from state to state. Walgreens’ move to deny access to these important drugs in states where abortion remains legal further erodes protections of reproductive rights,” Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., wrote.
Walgreens reiterated in a statement that, “Providing legally approved medications to patients is what pharmacies do, and is rooted in our commitment to the communities in which we operate.”