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According toThe New York Times,the updated FDA mandatewill allow pharmacies that agree to certain criteria to dispose the abortion pill mifepristone with a prescription order from a certified healthcare provider. Politico adds that pharmacies in states that have near-total abortion banswould not be able to participate.
“The FDA determined that removal of the in-person dispensing requirement and the addition of the requirement for certification for pharmacies were necessary to minimize the burden on the health care delivery system of complying with the [agency’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy], while still ensuring that the benefits of mifepristone for medical abortion outweigh the risks,” he explained.
The FDAlast updated the processof accessing the pill in December 2021 when it lifted the requirement that asked for a patient to receive the prescription order for the pill in person.
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In June 2022, the demand for abortion pills increased across the United States following the Supreme Court’s decision tooverturnRoe v. Wade. Companies that prescribe abortion pills reported more web traffic and appointment requests, including in states with “trigger” laws where abortion has already been banned or highly restricted.
Of the 13 states that had"trigger bans"in place — which effectively banned abortion after the Supreme Court decided to overturnRoe v. Wade—Missouriwas the first to enact theirs withmultiple states following suitincluding Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Utah.
In August of last year, PresidentJoe Bidensigned his secondexecutive orderto protect access to reproductive healthcare services in response to the Supreme Court’s decision.
Biden has stated repeatedly that he doesn’t have the authority as president to restore the right to abortion himself.
“The only way we can secure a woman’s right to choose and the balance that existed is for Congress to restore the protections ofRoe v. Wadeas federal law,” he previously explained. “No executive action from the president can do that.”
Biden signed his first executive order related to abortion access in early July.
The order vowed to “ensure the safety of patients, providers, and third parties” who have abortions or provide abortion services.
source: people.com
