'I'll never need this medication. And now it seems I'll never need anything from Walgreens'

[Hekate]

32. First, I would suggest communicating with AARP. It can't hurt & might help, if enough people do so

One issue that will actually pertain to our age group is that the drugs in question are used for other, non-pregnancy related, conditions.

This came up on a quick google search:

https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/issue-brief/abortion-bans-may-limit-essential-medications-for-women-with-chronic-conditions/

The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and send the decision to ban or permit abortion back to the states will likely have health implications beyond banning abortion in many states. There have already been reports of clinicians and pharmacists denying women access to medications like methotrexate and misoprostol to manage their chronic conditions, such as autoimmune diseases and gastric ulcers, because the drugs are also used for medication abortions and treatment of ectopic pregnancies. In these reports, pharmacists have denied or delayed filling prescriptions unless specific codes for non-pregnancy related conditions are given. Some providers are also requesting patients take a pregnancy test to confirm a non-pregnant status before they will prescribe the medications. This analysis finds that the majority of those who use these drugs are women who are not pregnant but have diagnoses for other chronic conditions and rely on these medications to manage their health. Consequently, women of reproductive age with chronic conditions will be most impacted by these actions.

Methotrexate is indicated for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases that disproportionately affect women. The drug works by suppressing the immune system. Additionally, many chemotherapy regimens include methotrexate for treatment of adult and pediatric cancers, such as leukemia and breast cancer, where it works to slow or stop the growth of cancer cells. It also has some off label uses for common conditions like Crohn’s disease, lupus, and eczema. The drug is also a common treatment for ectopic pregnancies where it stops cells from dividing by interfering with the folic acid in your body.

Beyond methotrexate, another drug that may be limited because of its use in pregnancy terminations is misoprostol. Misoprostol is a prostaglandin that causes cervical softening and dilation, as well as uterine contractions. It is frequently used in obstetrics and gynecology for procedures like the medical management of miscarriage, induction of labor, cervical ripening before surgical procedures, and the treatment of postpartum hemorrhage. It is also indicated for reducing the risk of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs like aspirin and ibuprofen) induced gastric ulcers in patients at high risk of complications from gastric ulcers. In combination with mifepristone, misoprostol can be used to terminate an intrauterine pregnancy through 70 days gestation. Access to methotrexate and misoprostol is essential for patients, especially women, with these cross-cutting conditions.