© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: People walk past a CVS Pharmacy store in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., November 30, 2017. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
(Reuters) – New York government officials sent a letter to pharmaceutical operators CVS Health Corp (NYSE:), Walgreens Boot Alliance and Rite Aid (NYSE:) Corp on Thursday, asking about their plans to make the abortion pill mifepristone available. available in the state.
The letter from New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James asked companies to respond in writing within 10 business days about their commitment to dispense mifepristone at pharmacies certified by the New York drug regulator. USA and in-state mail.
The letter follows Walgreens’ statement last week that it will not dispense abortion pills in some Republican-dominated states.
However, in a follow-up statement on Monday, Walgreens said it planned to dispense mifepristone in any jurisdiction where it is legally permitted to do so. When asked about the letter from New York officials, Walgreens directed Reuters to Monday’s statement.
Rite Aid and CVS did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Medical abortion, which accounts for more than half of abortions in the US, has drawn increasing attention since the Supreme Court last year overturned a landmark Roe v. Wade in 1973 that had recognized abortion as a constitutional right throughout the country.
New York has taken proactive steps to protect access to care at the clinic, including investing $35 million to support abortion providers, state officials said in a statement accompanying the letter.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday the state will not do business with Walgreens after the company said it would not distribute abortion pills in some states, following a letter from 20-state Republican attorneys general warning him to risk breaking the law if he sold the pills.