Watch: Walgreens Stops Sale of Abortion Pill in 21 States Under GOP Threat of Legal Action

March 6, 2023

Sarah Varney, Kaiser Health News Walgreens has announced it will stop dispensing the abortion pill mifepristone in 21 states where Republican attorneys general threatened legal action against the company, which is the nation’s second-largest pharmacy chain. KHN senior correspondent Sarah Varney joined PBS NewsHour co-anchor Amna Nawaz in a report on the move and its ramifications for women in those states, many of which have outlawed or severely restricted abortion. In four — Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, and Montana — Walgreens could legally sell the pills but has said it will not. Other pharmacies such as CVS, Rite Aid, Costco, Walmart, and Kroger also face legal action. To otherwise obtain the medication, Varney said, women could seek “a telehealth appointment with someone outside of the state” or “you could order from an online pharmacy.” But, she noted, the move by Walgreens restricts access to the drug for “women in what is typically a very time-sensitive situation.”