The United States has commenced a new rule change by the Biden administration for retail pharmacies to dispense the abortion pill ‘mifepristone’ for the first time.
On Tuesday, the FDA updated its website with the new requirements, saying the drug can be dispensed by certified pharmacies or under the supervision of a certified prescriber. According to reports, since the Supreme Court’s decision last year that overturned Federal rights and that of the states on restricting abortion procedures, the demand for abortion pills has tripled. This new rule brings about increased access to medically accepted abortion.
Mifepristone is a part of a two-drug regimen that is safe and effective in inducing an abortion. However, a prescription is still required from a health provider under the new rule, but patients can now pick up the pill in-store or by mail order. Mifepristone is taken in combination with a second drug called misoprostol, typically taken within 10 to 12 weeks of pregnancy to induce what is known as medication abortion. Misoprostol, commonly used for miscarriage management, is not a restricted drug and can easily be obtained at pharmacies via prescription.
According to the pro-choice Guttmacher Institute, more than half of US abortions are already done with pills rather than by surgery. In December 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it would indefinitely lift the requirement for patients to obtain a prescription in person via a healthcare provider as part of its pandemic-driven move toward telemedicine.
Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro, the two US companies that make the drug, confirmed in separate statements that the FDA had informed them of its decision. The move has been hailed as a significant step by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “Although the FDA’s announcement today 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,” said the organisation.
Pharmacies from large chains to corner drugstores can apply for certification to distribute mifepristone, which allows service customers directly with a prescription from a certified prescriber. Drug chains CVS and Walgreens have said they are reviewing the new requirements.
But the political landmines surrounding abortion are likely to influence whether or not, and where, pharmacies will offer the pill. “Women in the more than a dozen states where abortion has been banned will also likely need to travel to other states to obtain medication for abortion,” experts observe.
BBC/S.O
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