{"id":287406,"date":"2023-03-15T16:26:50","date_gmt":"2023-03-15T21:26:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=287406"},"modified":"2023-03-15T15:51:11","modified_gmt":"2023-03-15T20:51:11","slug":"senators-demand-walmart-costco-abortion-pill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/senators-demand-walmart-costco-abortion-pill\/","title":{"rendered":"Pro-abortion senators demand Walmart, Costco, Albertsons, Kroger announce abortion pill plans"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Seventeen pro-abortion senators sent letters on Monday to Walmart<\/a>, Costco<\/a>, Albertsons<\/a>, and Kroger<\/a> pressuring the stores to distribute the abortion pill (mifepristone) through their pharmacies. They also sent a letter to Walgreens \u2014\u00a0which announced it will not distribute the abortion pill in 21 states \u2014\u00a0as well as CVS and Rite Aid.<\/p>\n

Letter to Walmart, Costco, Albertsons, Kroger<\/strong><\/p>\n

“We write with great frustration that [your company] has not indicated whether it plans to allow your customers to access mifepristone through your pharmacies,” the letter reads. “…We urge you to pursue policies that provide the strongest possible access to the full range of essential health care they need, including mifepristone, and to communicate clearly to your customers about how they can access this care.”<\/p>\n

The letter ends,\u00a0“Pharmacists are one of the most trusted health care providers, and your customers rely on [your company] to help them access their prescribed medications. We look forward to hearing back from you about your intentions to ensure access to this critical FDA-approved product.”<\/p>\n

Signing the letter are Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), Wyden (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.).<\/p>\n

Letter to Walgreens<\/strong><\/p>\n

The senators also penned a letter to Walgreens<\/a>, telling the retail pharmacy, “At a time of great confusion about abortion access, your company has done the disservice of adding to it.” Walgreens announced this month that it will not be dispensing the abortion pill in 21 pro-life states following letters from attorneys general in those states warning that it would be illegal to do so.<\/p>\n

The letter also reads, “As you continue with the FDA certification process and fully comply with state and federal law, it is critical that your company also provides the strongest possible access to this vital medication and communicates clearly about this.”<\/p>\n

Letters to CVS and Rite Aid<\/strong><\/p>\n

The senators also sent letters to CVS<\/a> and Rite Aid<\/a>, asking the retail pharmacies how they “plan to notify current customers about access to mifepristone in any given state, where restrictions do and do not exist.” They also ask, “Will your company conduct any community outreach to ensure customers are aware of the full range of legal health services available to them?”<\/p>\n

The senators request that CVS and Rite Aid respond to their questions by March 21 to let them know of\u00a0 their “efforts to ensure access to this critical FDA-approved product.”<\/p>\n

The abortion pill is not health care<\/strong><\/p>\n

The idea that mifepristone, the first drug of the abortion pill, is “critical” or “essential” is based on the false and discriminatory beliefs that abortion is health care and that pregnancy is an illness. Medical professionals, including pharmacists, exist to help heal patients \u2014 not to kill humans, either born or preborn.<\/p>\n