Key Takeaways
Under the new rules, certified pharmacies can dispense Mifeprex (mifepristone) and its approved generic—the first of the two drugs in the medication abortion regimen—to people who have a prescription from a certified prescriber. The second drug, misoprostol, is unrestricted and is used to treat other conditions such as stomach ulcers.
The decision could allow easier access to medication abortions, but retail pharmacies may still have to comply with the laws in states where abortion pills are restricted or banned. As of now, at least 12 states have imposed total bans on abortions, according to theGuttmacher Institute.
In a pressstatement, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said although the FDA announcement “will not solve access issues for every person seeking abortion care, it will allow more patients who need mifepristone for medication abortion additional options to secure this vital drug.”
Currently, medication abortion is approved for use up to 10 weeks into a pregnancy. But research shows that the pills are safe and effective at 13 to 15 weeks gestation.
Medication abortion has become the most common method of abortion in the United States in recent years, accounting for53% of all U.S. abortions in 2020.
Since abortion rights have been revoked or restricted in some states, international abortion providers like Aid Access have reportedly seen a surge in requests for medication abortions.However, on theFDA’s Q&A page for mifepristone, the agency stated that it has sent warning letters to Aid Access and other websites that sell “unapproved and misbranded mifepristone and misoprostol over the internet.”
Major pharmacy chains such as CVS and Walgreens have not confirmed whether they would apply for the certification to dispense abortion pills.
What This Means For You
2 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kapp N, Andersen K, Griffin R, Handayani A, Schellekens M, Gomperts R.Medical abortion at 13 or more weeks gestation provided through telemedicine: a retrospective review of services.Contracept X. 2021;3:100057. doi:10.1016/j.conx.2021.100057Aiken ARA, Starling JE, Scott JG, Gomperts R.Association of texas senate bill 8 with requests for self-managed medication abortion.JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(2):e221122-e221122. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.1122
2 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kapp N, Andersen K, Griffin R, Handayani A, Schellekens M, Gomperts R.Medical abortion at 13 or more weeks gestation provided through telemedicine: a retrospective review of services.Contracept X. 2021;3:100057. doi:10.1016/j.conx.2021.100057Aiken ARA, Starling JE, Scott JG, Gomperts R.Association of texas senate bill 8 with requests for self-managed medication abortion.JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(2):e221122-e221122. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.1122
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Kapp N, Andersen K, Griffin R, Handayani A, Schellekens M, Gomperts R.Medical abortion at 13 or more weeks gestation provided through telemedicine: a retrospective review of services.Contracept X. 2021;3:100057. doi:10.1016/j.conx.2021.100057Aiken ARA, Starling JE, Scott JG, Gomperts R.Association of texas senate bill 8 with requests for self-managed medication abortion.JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(2):e221122-e221122. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.1122
Kapp N, Andersen K, Griffin R, Handayani A, Schellekens M, Gomperts R.Medical abortion at 13 or more weeks gestation provided through telemedicine: a retrospective review of services.Contracept X. 2021;3:100057. doi:10.1016/j.conx.2021.100057
Aiken ARA, Starling JE, Scott JG, Gomperts R.Association of texas senate bill 8 with requests for self-managed medication abortion.JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(2):e221122-e221122. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.1122
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