Costco has announced that it will not supply abortion medication to any of its over 500 pharmacies across the country.
The company, based in Washington, cited a lack of customer interest in medication intended to terminate pregnancies within the first ten weeks as the reason for this decision.
Whether this move was influenced by pressure from conservative groups remains unaddressed.
A coalition of religious organizations, including Inspire Investing from Idaho and a variety of conservative legal and financial entities, reached out to retailers last year, urging them to stock the drug, Mifepristone.
“This is a significant victory for us, and we plan to build on this momentum next year,” said a representative from Alliance Defending Freedom.
This representative also discussed plans aimed at targeting Walgreens Boots Alliance and CVS, two pharmacy chains that currently offer Mifepristone in states with fewer abortion restrictions.
Residents in states with strict abortion laws can still obtain medication by mail from areas where such bans do not apply.
Requests for similar drug offerings were also sent to Kroger, Walmart, and Albertsons along with Costco last year. Kroger stated that they have not provided abortion medication and are monitoring regulatory changes, while Walmart and Albertsons reportedly have no such medication in stock.
Costco’s choice adds fuel to the ongoing conversation surrounding medication accessibility.
New York City Director Brad Lander previously wrote to several retailers representing the city’s pension fund, urging them to consider offering the drug.
A spokesperson for Lander’s office expressed disappointment in Costco’s refusal to distribute Mifepristone, stating that this position under the pretense of “weak demand” undermines the company’s credibility.
Religious organizations seem committed to maintaining pressure on retailers.
“We have the momentum on our side,” said Tim Schwarzenberger from Inspire, which manages significant religious investment funds. “Now we can focus on reaching out to other retailers.”
As of now, Amazon does not sell such drugs, and Schwarzenberger has indicated that there will be efforts to keep it that way.
Amazon did not respond to inquiries for comment. Walgreens, in a general reference to its website, noted that Supreme Court rulings still allow it to distribute Mifepristone under FDA guidelines, while CVS confirmed it distributes the drug in certain states after a thorough authentication process.
CVS emphasized its ongoing commitment to supporting women’s health and providing access to safe reproductive health services.
The rollback of nationwide abortion protections has resulted in varying access levels across the United States, prompting telehealth providers to step in where gaps exist.
Some state lawmakers are introducing legislation that restricts mifepristone and limits telehealth access.
A recent report noted that 32 new proposals and 38 proposals aimed at banning medication abortions were introduced throughout the 2025 legislative session, the highest number since the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Data indicates that most abortions in the U.S. occur in healthcare facilities or through prescriptions filled at pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens, with a smaller percentage being done via mail prescriptions.
In the wake of heightened state-level restrictions, there has been an increase in women seeking online prescriptions for mifepristone delivered by mail, which now accounts for around 25% of abortions, up from 5% prior to the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision.
Eight states where abortion is permitted have established laws to protect doctors from prosecution for prescribing mifepristone to patients residing in states with stricter laws.
Ushima Upadyay, a reproductive science professor at the University of California, San Francisco, pointed out that pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens are still providing medications in states where abortion is banned, complicating access for women seeking procedures.
She noted that telehealth providers can leverage protection laws to send medications directly into restricted states.
This situation has led to legal challenges; for instance, Texas residents filed a lawsuit in July against a California doctor who prescribed abortion pills to a Texas resident.
Additionally, New York doctors are facing criminal charges in Louisiana and potential lawsuits from the Texas Attorney General for shipping medications into those states.
