Good News: Costco Says It Won't Sell Abortion Pill amid Pro-Life Pushback
...Mifepristone, used alongside misoprostol in chemical abortions, is designed to end the life of the unborn child and expel it from the uterus. Yet, the drugs can fail to fully expel fetal tissue, leading to severe complications such as life-threatening infections or hemorrhaging. Countless women have shared harrowing accounts of severe cramping and bleeding after taking the pills, often downplayed as "mild" side effects by abortion suppliers and pro-abortion groups.
[WashingtonStand.com] Pro-lifers turned up the heat, and now, Costco has officially announced it won't sell the abortion pill. (Image: Unsplash-Marcus Reubenstein)
The retail giant toyed around with the idea of selling the abortion drug mifepristone at their 500+ locations nationwide. However, they were immediately met with fierce backlash from pro-life groups, who are now praising Costco's decision to keep the dangerous and controversial pills off their shelves.
On Thursday, Costco released this statement: "Our position at this time not to sell mifepristone, which has not changed, is based on the lack of demand from our members and other patients, who we understand generally have the drug dispensed by their medical providers." This stance aligns Costco with other major retailers, such as Walmart and Kroger, who have also opted not to carry the drug.
Pro-life leaders are hailing the decision as a dual victory for both unborn children and women's health. Jeremy Tedesco, senior counsel and senior vice president of Corporate Engagement for Alliance Defending Freedom, wrote on X, "Huge win: Costco won't cave to activist pressure to turn stores into abortion pill dispensaries. No business case. No shareholder upside. Just ideology—and it failed."
Kristan Hawkins, president and CEO of Students for Life of America, echoed the sentiment, posting, "WIN: Costco said NO to distributing deadly Chemical Abortion Pills." She added that it's "great to see 500+ pharmacies truly living up to their slogan: 'Simplifying Home and LIFE.' Protecting moms, protecting babies. This is what winning looks like."
The public reaction, however, extends beyond this praise. In fact, as the pro-life movement celebrates Costco's decision, the spotlight has intensified on other retailers, as well as the US. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with advocates pressing for broader protections for both the unborn and women's health. Lila Rose, founder and president of Live Action, for example, urged these chains to "follow Costco's lead and immediately stop trafficking in the deaths of children." Additionally, she stressed, "The FDA must pull its approval for this lethal drug!"
The debate over mifepristone's safety remains a flashpoint in the broader struggle over abortion and women's health. As The Daily Wire highlighted, "The safety of mifepristone has become a key issue in the fight over abortion and women's safety." Mifepristone, used alongside misoprostol in chemical abortions, is designed to end the life of the unborn child and expel it from the uterus. Yet, the drugs can fail to fully expel fetal tissue, leading to severe complications such as life-threatening infections or hemorrhaging. Countless women have shared harrowing accounts of severe cramping and bleeding after taking the pills, often downplayed as "mild" side effects by abortion suppliers and pro-abortion groups.
Another concern raised by pro-lifers is that the abortion pills are often used as a tool of manipulation. A recent Texas case underscored this concern, where a woman filed a lawsuit against a Marine who allegedly poisoned her with 10 abortion pills, killing her unborn daughter against her will. Such incidents have fueled calls for stricter oversight.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary has pledged a comprehensive review of mifepristone's safety, stating in a letter to Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), "As the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, I am committed to conducting a review of mifepristone and working with the professional career scientists at the Agency who review this data." He added, "As with all drugs, FDA continues to closely monitor the postmarketing safety data on mifepristone for the medical termination of early pregnancy."
Mary Szoch, director of Family Research Council's Center for Human Dignity, commended Costco's decision in a comment shared with The Washington Stand. "Pharmacies and grocery stores are meant to be places where people purchase items that will nourish and support keeping their bodies healthy," she said. "Mifepristone, on the other hand, is a drug that is literally designed for the sole purpose of starving an unborn child to death, and while it does so, it often maims the mother's body and breaks her heart."
Szoch also urged other US pharmacies to follow suit. "This drug has no place in a store—it has no place in America. In this country, we value the dignity of every person." She concluded with a direct challenge to two major chains: "CVS and Walgreens should recognize that pharmacies should not be part of the industry of death. They should stop carrying mifepristone today." Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here
Sarah Holliday is a reporter at The Washington Stand.
