California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state will not do business with Walgreens following confusion over whether the pharmacy retailer will distribute abortion pills.
"California won't be doing business with @walgreens — or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women's lives at risk," Mr. Newsom said in a tweet that, as of March 7, has 7 million views. "We're done."
Becker's has reached out to the governor's office for comment and will update the story if more information becomes available.
In January, Walgreens said it planned to dispense mifepristone — one of the two pills used in medication abortion — after the FDA allowed eligible retail pharmacies to distribute it.
Two months later, Walgreens said it will not distribute mifepristone in some states where it is legal, due to political pressure from the states' attorneys general. In a March 6 statement, Walgreens seems to have switched positions again.
"We want to be very clear about what our position has always been: Walgreens plans to dispense mifepristone in any jurisdiction where it is legally permissible to do so," the company said. "Once we are certified by the FDA, we will dispense this medication consistent with federal and state laws. Providing legally approved medications to patients is what pharmacies do, and is rooted in our commitment to the communities in which we operate."
A Walgreens spokesperson echoed this statement to Becker's but declined to comment on Gov. Newsom's tweet.
Confusion from payers and patients ensued in California after the governor's viral comment, CalMatters reported.
"I'll be honest, you are the first person telling me about this," Penny Griego, spokesperson for the state's largest Medi-Cal plan, L.A. Care Health Plan, told CalMatters. Medi-Cal is the state's Medicaid program for people with disabilities and low-income residents.
A spokesperson for Mr. Newsom's office told the news outlet that the state is "reviewing all relationships between Walgreens and the state. We will not pursue business with companies that cave to right wing bullies pushing their extremist agenda or companies that put politics above the health of women and girls."
Abortion pills were thrown into an unclear future after Roe v. Wade's reversal. A federal judge in Texas is expected to soon rule on a lawsuit filed by an anti-abortion organization that seeks to reverse the FDA's approval of mifepristone. If the judge rules against the FDA's decadeslong approval, the most frequently used way to end a pregnancy will be halted in the U.S.