Some stores are rationing Plan B

Several of America’s largest retailers have begun to ration morning-after contraceptive pills like ‘Plan B,’ due to a spike in demand following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

💊 A deeper dive… Amazon, Walmart, Rite Aid, CVS, and Walgreens are among those on the ration train – though Walgreens said the restriction was an error that would soon be corrected, and CVS reversed its decision yesterday after demand returned to normal.

• Most of the retailers told news orgs they have plenty of inventory in stock, but implemented purchase limits to avoid hoarding and ensure equitable access.
• Some women said they’re stocking up in anticipation of future Plan B restrictions similar to new anti-abortion laws, though Planned Parenthood recently advised against that strategy due to its limited shelf life.
• Plan B pills are distinct from abortion pills (aka ‘Plan C’), which require a prescription and can be used in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy to terminate it.

📸 Big picture: Between 2013 and 2015, 22% of women ages 15 to 44 who have ever had sex reported they had used an emergency contraceptive at least once in their lives, per the Kaiser Family Foundation, an increase from 4% in 2002. The first-ever morning-after pill was approved by the FDA in 1998.

+Dig deeper : From the Left | From the Right | See the 360° view on SCOTUS’ decision | How are legislators and companies responding?