Costco Says It Will Stop Selling Abortion Pill Mifepristone
'Our position at this time not to sell mifepristone, which has not changed, is based on the lack of demand from our members and other patients, who we understand generally have the drug dispensed by their medical providers,' the company said.
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San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Costco to halt sale of abortion pill mifepristone at U.S. pharmacies
Costco will not dispense the abortion pill mifepristone at any of its more than 500 pharmacy locations in the United States, citing a lack of consumer demand. The decision, first reported by Bloomberg, followed months of pressure from conservative religious groups urging major retailers to avoid selling the drug. 'Our position at this time not to sell mifepristone, which has not changed, is based on the lack of demand from our members and other patients, who we understand generally have the drug dispensed by their medical providers,' Costco said in a statement Thursday. The company declined to say whether lobbying efforts played a role. The move was welcomed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal advocacy group that has long campaigned against the drug's availability. 'We applaud Costco for doing the right thing by its shareholders and resisting activist calls to sell abortion drugs,' said Michael Ross, legal counsel for ADF, in a statement. 'They have nothing to gain and much to lose by becoming abortion dispensaries.' Mifepristone, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2000, is the first of two medications used to end a pregnancy within the first 10 weeks. It is now used in more than half of all abortions in the U.S., according to the Guttmacher Institute. CVS and Walgreens are currently the only national chains certified to dispense mifepristone under FDA guidelines, and only in states where abortion remains legal. 'The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on mifepristone access allows Walgreens to continue to dispense mifepristone under the FDA guidelines,' Walgreens' website states.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- Newsweek
Costco Will Not Sell Abortion Pill
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Costco has announced that it will not sell mifepristone abortion pills at its U.S. pharmacies, citing a lack of consumer demand. The decision follows a campaign from religious groups, including the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and Inspire Investing, to persuade major retailers not to stock abortion tablets. Newsweek contacted Costco and the ADF for comment via online inquiry form and Inspire Investing by email for comment on Friday outside regular office hours. Why It Matters In June 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, concluding that abortion access was not a constitutional right. But Americans across the country continue to fight a fierce battle over abortion access. Anti-abortion campaigners have sought to restrict access to mifepristone and other abortion treatments that women in states with near total abortion bans can receive in the mail from more permissive states. What To Know In a statement sent to Reuters this week, Costco said: "Our position at this time not to sell mifepristone, which has not changed, is based on the lack of demand from our members and other patients, who we understand generally have the drug dispensed by their medical providers." Costco was one of several retailers targeted by Christian groups campaigning against the in-store sale of mifepristone. In addition to the Christian advocacy group ADF and Inspire Investing, which calls for "biblically responsible investing," the coalition includes officials from Republican states such as Texas, Utah, Nevada and Ohio. When contacted by Bloomberg, Costco declined to comment on whether its decision was influenced by campaigning from the Christian coalition. Packages of mifepristone tablets at a family planning clinic in Rockville, Maryland, on April 13, 2023. Packages of mifepristone tablets at a family planning clinic in Rockville, Maryland, on April 13, 2023. Anna Moneymaker/GETTY Mifepristone was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2000 for the termination of pregnancy within 10 weeks of gestation, in combination with misoprostol. It works by blocking the body from creating progesterone, a hormone involved in lining the uterus when a woman is pregnant. In July, a federal district court issued a preliminary injunction blocking part of President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which restricts Medicaid funding to health care providers that conduct abortions and receive at least $800,000 in federal reimbursements. Planned Parenthood said the move could result in almost 200 of its centers closing. What People Are Saying Michael Ross, legal counsel at the Alliance Defending Freedom, told Newsweek: "We applaud Costco for doing the right thing by its shareholders and resisting activist calls to sell abortion drugs. Retailers like Costco keep their doors open by selling a lifetime of purchases to families, both large and small. They have nothing to gain and much to lose by becoming abortion dispensaries. "Retail pharmacies exist to serve the health and wellness of their customers, but abortion drugs like mifepristone undermine that mission by putting women's health at risk. We're honored to work alongside the many like-minded partners who made this moment possible—including Inspire Investing and public officials like state financial officers, who put the deeply held values and fiduciary needs of their clients first and simply call upon the companies they own to do the same." New York City Comptroller Brad Lander told Bloomberg: "Costco's decision to refuse to dispense mifepristone is disappointing and short-sighted. Failure to provide access to proven safe and FDA-approved medication under the guise of 'weak demand' risks isolating customers and undermines the company's credibility." Tim Schwarzenberger, the director of corporate engagement at Inspire Investing, told Bloomberg: "We have this momentum. Now there is a chance to turn to some of the other retailers." What Happens Next According to Bloomberg, the Christian coalition intends to continue its campaign to prevent retailers from selling mifepristone.
Epoch Times
3 days ago
- Epoch Times
Costco Says It Will Stop Selling Abortion Pill Mifepristone
Costco Wholesale said Thursday that it will no longer sell the abortion pill mifepristone at its U.S. pharmacies due to declining demand from customers. 'Our position at this time not to sell mifepristone, which has not changed, is based on the lack of demand from our members and other patients, who we understand generally have the drug dispensed by their medical providers,' the company said.
