Abortion pills should be easier to get. That doesn't mean that they will be
More than half of all U.S. abortions are medically induced through a two-pill regimen that requires a prescription but does not involve surgery. And since Roe v. Wade was overturned in June, rates are expected to increase.
Now, a permanent rule change by the Food and Drug Administration will allow retail pharmacies to fill prescriptions for the drugs, making the once onerous process of obtaining the abortion pills much easier in states that permit the procedure. But in places with strict anti-abortion bans, pregnant people may still find it challenging to get their hands on the medication.
What does the FDA's new rule change?
The revision by the FDA announced on Tuesday permanently eliminates the requirement of an in-person doctor's visit for a prescription of mifepristone, a drug that stops the hormone needed to maintain a pregnancy in the first trimester. The medication has been approved by the FDA for more than two decades but the only way to get it has been from certified clinics due to safety concerns. Retail chains were specifically barred from dispensing the medication.
