Supreme Court Causes Abortion Pill Demand Spike, Resulting In Rationing

Demand for over the counter emergency contraceptive pills was so great following the US Supreme Court's extreme anti-abortion ruling that many major retailers have limited how many individuals could purchase so as to assure supplies for all who need them. 

Given the US' entrepreneurial successes in healthcare it is hoped that production will ramp up and that new alternatives will be created to meet the growing need. JL 

Sharon Terlep reports in the Wall Street Journal:

Over-the-counter emergency contraceptive pills (encountered) demand spikes following the Supreme Court ruling overturning a constitutional right to abortion. CVS, Walmart and Rite Aid were limiting purchases of the pills, which were in short supply or out of stock Monday morning on major retailer websites. CVS and Rite Aid were limiting purchases to three. Planned Parenthood advised against stockpiling emergency contraceptives as they have limited shelf life and because hoarding supplies could limit access for women who have an immediate need.

Some of the nation’s biggest retailers are rationing over-the-counter emergency contraceptive pills as demand spikes following the Supreme Court ruling overturning a constitutional right to abortion.

CVS Health Corp., CVS -1.57%▼ Walmart Inc. WMT -1.18%▼ and Rite Aid Corp. RAD -4.96%▼ were limiting purchases of the pills, which were in short supply or out of stock Monday morning on major retailer websites. CVS and Rite Aid were limiting purchases to three. Walmart had some pills available without limits, but only in cases where they wouldn’t ship until next month. Pills available this week were limited to four or six.

A CVS spokesman said that the company has implemented temporary purchase limits to ensure equitable access and that it has ample supply of the pills in stores and online. Rite Aid said it was limiting purchases due to increased demand. Walmart didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc., WBA -2.93%▼ which also had a purchase limit on its website, said that the restriction was an error and that it would soon be corrected. A spokesman said the company is investigating the situation.

 

The pills are often referred to and sold under the Plan B brand without a prescription. Also called morning-after pills, they are designed to be taken up to three days after unprotected sex. The medication mainly works by preventing ovulation and, failing that, may stop a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus.

Plan B pills are different from medication abortion, also known as plan C, which requires a prescription and involves the administration of different pills to terminate a pregnancy. In the U.S., medication abortion has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. Two medications—mifepristone and misoprostol—are typically used in a medication abortion regimen.

Several companies make versions of Plan B that range in cost from $10 to more than $50. On Monday, the cheapest option available from major retailers’ websites was a pill for $35. There are three types of emergency contraceptive pills: progestin-only pills like levonorgestrel (sold under the brand name Plan B, among others), ulipristal (brand name Ella) and combined emergency contraception pills that consist of ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel. The latter two types require prescriptions.

Plan B One-Step, the top-selling emergency contraceptive, is owned by a pair of private-equity firms, Kelso & Co. and Juggernaut Capital Partners. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. sold the brand in 2017 to the investors as part of a move to shed its women’s health business. Representatives from the firms didn’t respond to requests for comment.

In the days following Friday’s court decision, social media filled with comments either encouraging or dissuading people to stock up on the contraceptive. Some users posted that they were buying as many as possible; others argued against stockpiling for fear it would cut off access to people with an immediate need.

Planned Parenthood on Monday advised against stockpiling emergency contraceptives as they have limited shelf life and because hoarding supplies could limit access for women who have an immediate need.