Newsom criticizes Walgreens over pill ban
“California won’t be doing business with @walgreens — or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women’s lives at risk. We’re done.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom
Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted Monday that “California won’t be doing business with @walgreens” after the pharmacy chain said it would no longer distribute mifepristone — one of two two drugs used in the medication abortion process — in 20 states after pressure from Republican attorneys general. The company’s decision means it will not sell the medication even in states where abortion is legal.
While abortion rights leaders were supportive of Newsom’s comments, there was no policy or change accompanying his pronouncement. His administration had no further details on what Newsom’s tweet entailed, and it’s not clear how much business the state currently does with the company.
“California 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,” Newsom spokesperson Brandon Richards said Monday.
It is the latest salvo in the wars over abortion rights, as activists on both sides await a ruling from a conservative Texas federal judge that could ban the drug mifepristone, which is used in a majority of all U.S. abortions, nationwide.
If U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk agrees to ban the drug — which was approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration in 2000 — his ruling would apply equally to California and two dozen other states where abortion remains legal. Because the ruling would not impact another drug used for medication abortions, Kacsmaryk’s decision would not ban all medication abortions in California and other states that still permit the procedure. But abortions could become more painful for the patient, and the state’s reproductive care system could face more challenges.
Walgreens jumped into the controversy on Friday when it announced that it would not distribute the medication. Last month, attorneys general in 20 states warned Walgreens and CVS not to mail abortion pills in their states or else they would take legal action. CVS has not responded publicly.
Newsom, who has positioned California as a haven for people seeking the procedure as well as abortion providers, jumped into the fray Monday by tweeting a comment about a news story on Walgreens’ decision to not distribute the pills with the message: “California won’t be doing business with @walgreens — or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women’s lives at risk. We’re done.”
But it’s unclear what plans California might enact following the tweet, or how much business the state does with Walgreens.
There are no contracts with Walgreens for COVID-19 services, according to California’s public listing of state contracts of more than $250,000.
The California Public Employees’ Retirement System, or CalPERS, health program “does not contract with Walgreens,” CalPERS spokesperson Deborah Reyman said Monday. “We contract with OptumRx for pharmacy benefit management. Walgreens is an in-network pharmacy of OptumRx.”
California State Teachers’ Retirement System, or CalSTRS, “doesn’t have a contract with Walgreens,” Thomas Lawrence, senior information officer for the retirement system, said Monday.
Other state organizations contacted by The Chronicle did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Nevertheless, abortion rights leaders like NARAL Pro-Choice America President Mini Timmaraju appreciated Newsom and other leaders for “calling these actions into question.”
“This is just the latest example of extremist Republicans bullying the private sector into making a decision that negatively impacts their consumers and businesses,” Timmaraju said. “Rather than following the science that proves how safe medication abortion is, Walgreens is caving to pressure from antichoice activists and politicians, significantly limiting access to this care in states across the country.”