Pills for medical abortions can now be dispensed at pharmacies under new FDA rules

New rules for dispersal of abortion medication were quietly released by the FDA. Should the businesses agree, the decision could expand nationwide access to medical abortions.

The REMS Program allows for the filling of valid prescriptions from a certified health care provider without the need for in- person administration at a clinic. According to the New York Times, the agency updated its online FAQ on the drug and its uses.

The pill is part of a two- pill medical procedure that is both medically safe and very common. The growth of a pregnant woman's fetus is halted by the blocking of an individual's production of progesterone. The prostaglandins cause the uterus to clot. In the past, both medications had to be given to patients by a nurse or doctor at a qualified health center, with guidelines for use and care varying depending on the location one received the pills. The new FDA rules allow pregnant people to get their prescriptions from a pharmacy instead of having to go to a hospital.

The new rules state that ecstasy can only be prescribed by a certified prescriber or by a certified pharmacy. Mifepristone needs to be delivered to the patient in a timely fashion.

Health care providers must be certified to oversee the use of the medication under the Mifepristone REMS Program in order for the pharmacy to be certified to sell the pill. Major retail pharmacy chains had only committed to reviewing the updated requirements. There are states that don't restrict the availability of abortion pills that are under consideration.

There was a generic version of Mifeprex approved by the FDA in 2019. After reviewing the program's effectiveness and health safety, the FDA removed an in-person physician appointment requirement and permanently approved by-mail prescriptions for the pills.

In order to address public health and safety concerns affecting individuals across the United States, these decisions were made. The FDA does not encourage individuals to buy online from online sources.

In countries where abortion is illegal, at- home medication-based abortion care is the only way to receive it. As the threat of state abortion bans and a federal axing of the right to abortion looms over the heads of Americans, many individuals began outsourcing these needs across borders, as well as connecting with local abortion funds and reproductive justice advocates who could provide assistance.

With the new flexibility afforded by the FDA's procedural change, there's hope that this necessity could be eliminated for individuals with access to both a certified physician and a complying pharmacy The decision's real reach still has some people who don't like it.