Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) criticized Costco on Friday for catering to “fall-right extremists” after the retailer announced that pharmacies wouldn’t be distributing the abortion medication Mifepristone.
“I find it troubling to hear that Costco is refusing to provide safe, effective, and legal medications due to pressure from anti-abortion groups,” Murray stated. “I cannot remain silent while far-right activists seek to dictate what women can access.” She emphasized that if a medication is legal, it should be available to those who need it.
In a statement released on Thursday, Costco explained that the decision was linked to a “lack of demand.”
“Our current stance on not selling mifepristone is due to insufficient demand from our members and other patients,” the company said.
This move follows CVS and Walgreens’ certification last year to provide abortion medications in states where it remains legal.
Murray urged Costco to reconsider, pointing out that limiting access to mifepristone, one of the two medications used for medication abortion, could adversely affect women’s health.
“Mifepristone is both safe and effective. We cannot live in a society where women’s health care availability sways based on the views of extremists,” she conveyed. “I am calling on Costco to reverse this decision quickly. This isn’t just about appeasing far-right abortion opponents; it’s a matter of aligning with science and facts.”
Last year, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that a group of anti-abortion doctors lacked the legal grounds to challenge the accessibility of the pill.
Despite the ruling, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Secretary of Health and Human Services, alongside FDA committee member Marty McCurry, is contemplating a review of abortion medications.
Murray raised questions during a Senate confirmation hearing regarding McCurry’s proposal, signaling potential changes within President Trump’s FDA leadership.
