(CNN) California will cease all business with retail drugstore chain Walgreens, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday, days after the company announced it would no longer sell abortion pills in 21 Republican-dominated states. rice field.
“California will not do business with @walgreens or any other company that bows to extremism and endangers the lives of women,” the Democratic governor tweeted.
Newsom’s backlash comes as a Texas judge considers banning mifepristone, the first pill in a two-drug abortion regimen, so medical abortions are used in more than half of all procedures nationwide. We have come to a critical time already for the future of Walgreens has responded to legal pressure from Republican attorneys general in 21 states, including states where abortion is legal.
In a statement last week, the company said, “We intend to be a licensed pharmacy and will only market mifepristone in jurisdictions where it is legal and operationally viable.
Walgreens declined to comment on Newsom’s tweet.
The clash between Newsom and Walgreens, a large chain of stores with thousands of stores nationwide, marks the latest in a string of implications following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision. The ruling, handed down last June, has shaken national politics ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. Many Democrats have admitted backlash for backing candidates in tough battleground states and congressional seats. .
The state is now “reviewing all relationships between Walgreens and the state,” said Brandon Richards, a spokesman for Newsom. accused of giving up.
Newsom’s office announced Wednesday that the state of California will “withdraw” the renewal of its $54 million contract with Walgreens, effective May 1, 2023.
The California Department of General Services has contracts with retailers to “procure specialty pharmacy prescriptions” and is primarily used by the state’s Department of Correctional and Rehabilitation and its Corrective Care System, Newsom’s office said in a news release. said in
The state will consider other options “to provide the same service,” his office said.
Walgreens senior director of external relations Fraser Engerman said in a statement Wednesday that the company was “deeply disappointed” by the announcement and said the decision not to update was “false and misleading information.” He said it was made on the basis of
Late last week, Democratic California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a statement accusing Walgreens of bowing to political pressure from Republican officials.
“Medical abortion is safe, effective and serves as a lifeline for people in need of urgent care, especially in vulnerable and underserved areas,” Bonta said Friday. “We are disappointed that Walgreens has decided to bow to political pressure from anti-abortion states and cut off access to these necessary and life-saving drugs.”
The company attempted to clarify its position on Wednesday, but their latest statement added to the confusion.
“Our position has always been that, once cleared by the FDA, Walgreens will dispense Mifepristone in jurisdictions where it is legally permitted,” Engerman said. In states such as Kansas and Iowa, medical abortion is legal and available despite opposition from top Republicans who have threatened lawsuits.
In a letter last month to anti-abortion Republican Kansas Attorney General Chris Kovach, Walgreens wrote, “We do not intend to dispense mifepristone in your state, and we do not intend to sell you from any of our pharmacies.” We do not intend to ship mifepristone to the states of
Abortion is protected under Kansas law. Last summer, the state voted overwhelmingly to block Congress’ attempts to ban the proceedings, following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn her Roe v. Wade case less than two months ago. Passed.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in early January that pharmacies authorized to dispense mifepristone can dispense it directly to people with a prescription.
This story has been updated with additional information.
CNN’s Taylor Romine and Jack Forrest contributed to this report.
