CVS Health and Walgreens, two major drugstore retailers, will soon begin distributing an abortion medication in select states in the coming weeks.

CVS Health plans to begin dispensing mifepristone to patients in Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts in the coming weeks, according to spokesperson Amy Thibault’s statement on Friday.

According to spokesperson Fraser Engerman, Walgreens is set to distribute the medication in the next week. The first locations to receive the medication will be some in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California, and Illinois.

He stated that the business would launch in specific areas to prioritize the protection and well-being of our patients, providers, and staff.

Thibault stated that CVS Health will gradually expand to new states as permitted by law.

The initial plans of the retailers were first reported by The New York Times.

CVS Health Corp, the biggest drugstore chain in the country, operates around 9,400 stores. Meanwhile, Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc runs approximately 8,700 stores in the United States.

On Friday, President Joe Biden stated that the announcements made were significant in promoting access to mifepristone. He acknowledged that numerous women will now have the option to obtain their prescriptions from certified local pharmacies, just as they would any other medication.

He urged pharmacies interested in exploring this choice to obtain certification.

CVS and Walgreens recently made changes to their policies, following more than a year since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) implemented a rule allowing broader access to abortion pills at various pharmacies, including major chains and online retailers.

In the year 2000, the FDA authorized the use of mifepristone, in conjunction with misoprostol, for terminating pregnancies within the first 10 weeks.

The first step in the process involves taking Mifepristone, which helps to widen the cervix and prevents the hormone progesterone from supporting a pregnancy. After 24 to 48 hours, Misoprostol is taken to trigger uterine contractions and release pregnancy tissue.

For over two decades, the FDA’s regulations restricted the distribution to only select specialty venues and medical centers, because of safety worries.

The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a challenge presented by conservative organizations, attempting to overturn the approval of mifepristone or to scale back policies that have simplified its acquisition.

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The Health and Science Department of the Associated Press receives assistance from the Science and Educational Media Group of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The AP is solely responsible for all of its content.