The investigation comes about four months after the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade case, a landmark decision allowing women to have abortions. Now, the law varies from state to state, with some prohibiting abortion in almost all cases. In Illinois, abortion is still legal.
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Since the ruling and as pharmacies tweaked the new law in several states, reports have surfaced of pharmacists at Walgreens and CVS locations denying patients to take birth control pills, as well as methotrexate, a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis that can also terminate an ectopic pregnancy, and misoprostol, a stomach ulcer medication often prescribed before an IUD is inserted.
The controversy has led to public complaints against both companies. As for Walgreens, the complaints led to the hashtag trending #BoycottWalgreens on Twitter in July. Not even two weeks later, Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth have pressured Walgreens to amend a policy they say allows Walgreens employees to refuse to sell contraceptives to customers based on the worker’s religious or moral beliefs. .
Walgreens previously told Crain that it allows employees to refuse to sell contraceptives to customers if that conflicts with their personal beliefs, and employees are required to refer customers to an employee. other can complete the transaction. The policy complies with federal law under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits employment discrimination based on religion, race, color, sex and national origin, Walgreens said.
In a statement today, Walgreens spokesman Fraser Engerman said the company is cooperating with HHS’s investigation into complaints at its stores.
“We have taken steps to comply with applicable law,” Engerman said. “Our pharmacists will continue to work closely with prescribers as needed to deliver legal, clinically relevant prescriptions. Our top priority is to make sure our patients have access to the medicines they need from pharmacists they know and trust.”
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Walgreens has about 8,965 stores as of August 31 and fills 1.2 billion prescriptions by 2021, according to its website.
Woonsocket, RI-based CVS did not respond to Crain’s questions about its policy today, but is said to have a similar policy to Walgreens’.
CVS, which has more than 9,900 retail locations in all 50 states, nearly 70 of which are in Chicago, said in a statement to Crain’s that it is committed to supporting women’s health care. “
“Our highest priority is to ensure safe and timely access to medicines. However, laws in some states restrict the dispensing of drugs that may be prescribed for the purpose of abortion. Our pharmacists, like other healthcare providers, are in the midst of this. Under certain circumstances, they may face criminal charges for dispensing drugs for this purpose. We will cooperate with any government investigation into this complex matter.”
CVS manages and fills approximately 2.5 billion prescriptions each year.
It is unknown what Becerra mentioned other companies in its tweet. HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In July, the agency issued guidance for about 60,000 retail pharmacies that receive federal financial assistance from Medicare and Medicaid payments. The agency said these facilities must protect patients’ right to access reproductive health care from pharmacies, including prescription birth control pills.
This story first appeared in our sister publication, Crain’s Chicago Business.
