Religious groups have pressured retail pharmacies to stop selling abortion drugs, including mifepristone. Costco has confirmed it will no longer carry the medication due to low demand. However, this move limits access for patients.
In 2023, the FDA made mifepristone available at pharmacies with a special certification. But few pharmacies have obtained this certification. National pharmacy chains have faced campaigns against carrying the drug.
This decision has affected obstetricians like Dr. Sarah Prager, who can only get the medication through certain channels due to bureaucratic hurdles. She prescribes mifepristone alongside misoprostol for miscarriage management, which is not considered best practice by her peers.
Source: https://www.kuow.org/stories/religious-groups-pressure-retail-pharmacies-including-costco-not-to-carry-abortion-drug