CVS Health Limits Purchases Of 'Morning-After' Pill As Sales Spike

WOONSOCKET, RI — Days after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe vs. Wade, the 50-year-old federal case that protected a woman's right to have an abortion, retailer CVS Health imposed a purchase limit on emergency contraception as sales spiked following the court's decision.

According to a CVS Health spokesperson Matthew Blanchette, the temporary limit was imposed to "ensure equitable access" to emergency contraceptives like Plan B and Aftera, more commonly referred to as the morning-after pill.

Since the limit was put in place, sales have returned to normal, Blanchette said Tuesday, and CVS plans to lift the purchase restrictions within the next 24 hours.

"We continue to have (an) ample supply of emergency contraceptives to meet customer needs," Blanchette said.

CVS Health wasn't the only retailer to impose a purchase limit this week. Due to increased demand, Pennsylvania-based Rite Aid also capped the purchase of emergency contraceptives at three per person, a spokesperson confirmed to Patch.

Plan B and Aftera are both brand names for the drug Levonorgestrel, an emergency contraceptive. The over-the-counter medication is meant to be taken by women within 72 hours of unprotected sex; however, the sooner it is taken, the more effective it is.

The Supreme Court's decision last week left states free to limit or prohibit abortion access. Thirteen states had trigger laws in place that immediately took effect and halted abortions as soon as the justices issued their ruling, the Washington Post reported.

The ruling does not affect emergency contraceptives like Plan B, which prevent pregnancy by delaying ovulation.