CVS & Walgreens Protests Over Chemical Abortion
The Biden administration’s Food and Drug Administration offered pharmacy businesses the ”opportunity” to fill chemical abortion prescriptions in January of 2023. That’s right, neighborhood pharmacies could join Planned Parenthood as abortion providers.
In February of 2023, CVS and Walgreens said yes to obtaining FDA certification to fill prescriptions for the abortion cocktail: mifepristone and misoprostol. (Link to the flyer) Most of the pharmacy industry said, “No, thank you.”
In the first week of March 2024, CVS and Walgreens announced they had FDA certification and had been filling chemical abortion prescriptions. Initially, this was in six states. These deep-blue states are California, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
As of October of 2024. No additional pharmacy chains jumped in, despite Democratic party pressures. CVS and Walgreens have not moved beyond the initial six states.
Pro-Life Waco started CVS and Walgreens protest on March 31, 2023. Pro-Life Waco is the “parent” of this new organization Pro-Life in the Public Square. Because PLW has engaged in public square outreach for three decades, there was no way we would take a pass on this menace. Pro-Life Waco has continued pharmacy protests and chemical abortion education twice or more each month. CVS and Walgreens made a long-term commitment to death. Pro-Life Waco made a long-term commitment to life.
Pharmacy outreach involves two distinct events simultaneously. One is the challenge to CVS and Walgreens for committing chemical abortion by prescription. The second is educating our neighbors on the leading technique for killing preborn babies. We have produced a fact-filled flyer on chemical abortion, which we distribute to willing travelers, customers, and employees.
Pro-Life Waco’s deep local involvement with pharmacy outreach has led to efforts to encourage and equip pro-lifers in Texas and other states to engage in pharmacy outreach on a continuing basis. A one-time event would have no chance to impact the pharmacy industry in our favor. We offered a free Quick Start Pack to groups and individuals that would join. This outreach to other groups has proved more challenging than expected. Our efforts have brought about 20 cities into the collaboration. My goal was, and still is, 100 cities.
The challenge of spreading pharmacy outreach to other states boosted my commitment. As a very senior citizen, I recall how the segregated lunch counter protests, started in North Carolina, spread like wildfire to other states. To help reach broader and more intense pharmacy outreach, the board of PLW decided to launch Pro-Life in the Public Square. PLW delivers public square outreach in the Waco area. PLPS will work nationally to support and promote the public square outreach efforts of other groups. I (John Pisciotta) am the Executive Director of both PLW and PLPS.
I ardently ask you to consider launching ongoing pharmacy outreach in your hometown. Please check out the free Quick Start Pack offer to participating groups. I believe pro-lifers in ALL states should stand up to CVS and Walgreens even if you live outside of rollout states and even if your state has an abortion ban. All pro-life Americans should respond to the dreadful decisions of two American corporations.
The pharmacy outreach movement goals are achievable. We are called primarily to be faithful, not necessarily successful. Still, we strive for success. Check out the five big victories achieved by Pro-Life Waco over the years.
Let’s work and pray for victory over the evil initiative of CVS and Walgreens and to keep other pharmacy chains on the sidelines. With God’s grace, we work and pray for victories in pharmacy outreach to give our movement a major boost like the lunch counter desegregation movement did for civil rights in the 1960s.