5 Things Every Prescriber Should Know About Pharmacy Dispensing for Medical Abortion

We know big changes can take time. That’s why when the FDA approved much-needed updates to the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program for medical abortion in early 2023, we immediately set to work supporting the implementation of those updates.  

There is always more work to be done. We also want to recognize the progress our reproductive health community has made so far to put the REMS changes into practice. In that spirit, we have made a list of five things every prescriber should know about how to help their patients access care through certified pharmacies. 

  1. Any qualified pharmacy can become a Certified Pharmacy. They can be mail-order, brick-and-mortar, independent community pharmacies, or chain pharmacies. Fun fact: the first Certified Pharmacy was mail-order pharmacy Honeybee Health. Our pharmacy directory currently lists locations in 22 states and DC are certified.  
  2. Not all certified pharmacies are listed online. Some pharmacies we work with have opted not to appear in our directory. Email us at info@genbiopro.com any time and we’d be happy to help you find your nearest certified pharmacy. 
  3. Prescribers who want to dispense through a certified pharmacy must first send their completed Prescriber Agreement. Prescribers can do that quickly using our online Prescriber Agreement Form or by emailing or faxing the Agreement to their preferred pharmacy. Note that in the case of CVS, prescribers need only submit their Agreement once to cover all participating CVS locations. 
  4. Most Certified Pharmacies fill prescriptions promptly. The FDA requires that pharmacies dispense within 4 days or call you to discuss options, but many pharmacies work more quickly. For example, both Honeybee Health and CVS aim to dispense the medicines within 24 hours of receiving the prescription. 
  5. Medical abortion may be a covered pharmacy benefit for patients. Most national and large regional health insurance payers have pharmacy benefit reimbursement at a generic tier copay without prior authorization. For patients who want to use this coverage, verify pharmacy benefit coverage as patient’s plans and employer group coverage may differ. 

As pharmacist Sally Rafie wrote in an article for the Reproductive Health Access Project, pharmacies are more likely to get certified to dispense medication abortion products if they know local providers will send them prescriptions. So if you currently send prescriptions to a pharmacy that isn’t certified, consider reaching out to ask if they’re open to getting certified.  

We are always here to help, so please don’t hesitate to reach out at 855-643-3463 or info@genbiopro.com with your questions.