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Assessing availability and expanding access to mifepristone at pharmacies in San Diego
Karen S Greiner1, Sally Rafie2, Francesca Selmoni1
1Division of Complex Family Planning, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States.
Objectives:
To determine readiness of pharmacies to dispense mifepristone.
Study Design:
Study team members called pharmacies in San Diego, California. Callers asked standardized questions to determine if the pharmacy was able to dispense mifepristone.
Results:
Of 153 community and outpatient pharmacies, we reached staff at 149 (97.4%) pharmacies between January 2025 and April 2025. Of these pharmacies, 33 (22.1%) were certified and able to dispense mifepristone, 114 (76.5%) were not, one (0.7%) was unsure, and one (0.7%) was in the process of being certified.
Conclusions:
Despite the ability of pharmacies to dispense mifepristone since 2023, most pharmacies in San Diego are not yet able to dispense.
Implications:
Despite policy change in 2023 allowing pharmacies to become certified to dispense mifepristone, this cross-sectional study demonstrates that few pharmacies in San Diego are able to do so, highlighting additional barriers beyond legislative change to patients accessing evidence-based abortion care outside the standard in-person clinic setting.
