WASHINGTON. One of the UK’s most famous names on the main street is in danger of being drawn into America’s polarized abortion debate as its parent company is now at the center of a raging political storm.
Walgreens, which has owned Boots since 2014, is facing calls for a consumer boycott after it announced last week it would no longer offer mifepristone in abortion pills in more than 20 states, where Republican officials say they may close company to alleviate the situation. production.
In many of these states, especially in the American South, following last year’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. half a century. Walgreens’ decision follows a letter signed by attorneys general from 21 states that threatened the companies with the possibility of legal action.
But the Federal Food and Drug Administration disagreed with the Republicans’ position, saying U.S. retailers can still sell mifepristone in person and by mail as long as they follow a certification process that sets standards for delivery and handling of tablets.
Mifepristone, which is also available in the UK, was approved for abortion in the US over 20 years ago. In light of last year’s Supreme Court ruling and the subsequent suppression of abortion, the pill is believed to be responsible for more than half of abortions in America.
Walgreens is America’s second largest pharmacy chain and its parent company was renamed Walgreens Boots Alliance following the acquisition of Boots. She is at the center of the nationwide fight against abortion. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a prominent Democrat and outspoken proponent of choice, quickly severed his state’s ties with Walgreens. “California will not do business with … any company that evades extremists and endangers women’s lives,” he tweeted.
Film director Michael Moore went even further and called on consumers to boycott the company. In an online post, he said he “supports the anti-abortion and women’s rights campaigners” and stated that Walgreens’ decision “must all be strongly respected.”
In a statement released Monday, Walgreens said it “intends to distribute mifepristone in all jurisdictions where it is legally permitted to do so” and indicated that it will manufacture the pills “in accordance with federal and state regulations” after receiving FDA certification. “state laws”.
But the White House has accused the company of dropping the simple threat of legal action in some states where the pill remains fully legal.
Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, and Montana have no laws against its use, although those states’ attorneys general signed the letter that prompted Walgreen’s initial action. On Friday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the company’s actions “unacceptable and dangerous.”
In contrast, some Republicans have praised the retailer. Last week, former Vice President Mike Pence told a Student for Life event in Florida that “Americans don’t want their pharmacies to become abortion centers… I thank Walgreens for upholding the rule of law.” however, they are threatening to boycott themselves in protest of the company’s decision to continue selling abortion pills in the 29 states that failed to legally threaten the Illinois giant.
Walgreens Boots Alliance shares were fined. The company lost 3.7 percent of its value on the Nasdaq on Tuesday and is down 6.6 percent over the past month. As the #BoycottWalgreens hashtag goes viral on social media and awareness of the issue grows internationally, controversy erupts days before the company announces its second-quarter results.
The spat threatens to become global, with Boots becoming a secondary potential target of consumer annoyance. Named after founder John Booth, who started the company in 1849, the British chain’s branding is embedded on the Walgreens website.
Boots is no stranger to controversy. In 2017, the retailer faced calls for a boycott because it said it would not lower the price of an “after-morning” pill amid fears that emergency contraception would be “overused or abused.” Under fire, Boots said he was “very sorry about our poor choice of words” and admitted that it caused “insult and misunderstanding”.
The parent company is now facing a growing body of reports questioning its broader relationship with Walgreens customers seeking legal access to abortion drugs and emergency contraception.
Source: I News
I am Michael Melvin, an experienced news writer with a passion for uncovering stories and bringing them to the public. I have been working in the news industry for over five years now, and my work has been published on multiple websites. As an author at 24 News Reporters, I cover world section of current events stories that are both informative and captivating to read.