California Ends Walgreens Contract After Abortion-Pill Dispute

California Governor Gavin Newsom has canceled a $54 million contract with Walgreens after the pharmacy chain declined to sell an abortion pill by mail in some conservative-led states. The contract, which was set to expire on April 30, covered the supply of specialty pharmacy prescription drugs to California’s prison health care system, including medication used for antiviral and antifungal drugs and congestive heart failure. Governor Newsom ordered state officials to source the drugs elsewhere. More than half of all abortions in the U.S. are conducted via pills, and Mifepristone, a pill used to end pregnancy, is approved by the FDA for use up to the 10th week of pregnancy. Walgreens had said it planned to dispense the drug in any jurisdiction where it is legally permitted to do so. However, attorneys general in 20 states with mostly Republican governors had warned Walgreens and CVS of potential legal consequences if they sold abortion pills in their states.

Newsom responded to that news on Monday, posting in a message on Twitter that 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,” Newsom said.