Hey Dr Sue — Is It True That You Can Now Get Abortion Drugs At CVS?

That’s sort of true. Let me explain.

It used to be that when we talked about abortion in the US, we were talking primarily about a surgical abortion. This would require a person going somewhere, like a clinic or hospital, to have the procedure done.

But in 2022, more than half of women in the US had a medical abortion which involves no surgery and instead uses 2 medications. If you want to read more about this, check out my post on Plan C.

Let me stop for a minute and say that the data we have on abortion in the US may not be 100% accurate. People may be getting the pills they need to have a medical abortion by mail, and that might not be accounted for in the numbers.

At the beginning of 2023, the FDA decided that pharmacies, like CVS, could begin to sell mifepristone. Mifepristone is the first drug used in a medical abortion. In order for a pharmacy to see the drug, they have to become certified. At the time I’m writing this, January 8, both CVS and Walgreens have indicated that they intend to seek certification.

The second drug needed for a medical abortion is misoprostol. This was already accessible at many pharmacies because it can be used for things other than abortion. It’s often prescribed to people to decrease the…