ORLANDO, Fla. – The Florida Agency of Healthcare Administration last week warned healthcare providers against distributing abortion pills.
The agency sent a provider alert, which read: “The agency is issuing this alert to remind providers that they must continue to comply with Florida laws governing the provision of abortions.”
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The move comes after Food and Drug Administration decision to allow retail pharmacies like Walgreens or CVS to stock and dispense mifepristone, more commonly known as abortion pills, in states that allow the process.
In the past, depending on state law, abortion pills were either administered directly by a doctor or prescribed via telemedicine and sent directly to the patient.
In Florida, abortion is legal up to the 15th week of pregnancy, and only a doctor can terminate a pregnancy after waiting 24 hours. Pharmacists in Florida are not allowed to distribute the pills.
In its email, the Florida Agency’s warning made it clear that willful violations of abortion laws could result in criminal penalties and that the state would refer “any evidence of criminal activity” to local law enforcement agencies.
Mifepristone, a two-pill regimen, differs from Plan B, aka the morning-after pill, which is widely available in Florida pharmacies and is considered more of an emergency contraceptive.
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