CVS

A woman ended up stranded in the hospital because CVS stopped providing the IV nutrition she needs to survive at home. Without it, she’d starve.

An AP analysis shows Black and Latino urban neighborhoods have fewer pharmacies per capita than white majority areas. Also, Alaska, Oregon and New Mexico are among states with the fewest pharmacies per capita.

The nationwide walkout is slated to continue through Wednesday. It's the latest attempt by pharmacists to pressure chains to address concerns about staffing they say lead to burnout and mistakes.

The drug store chain said it will remove a small number of oral decongestants that contain phenylephrine as the only active ingredient.

Drug and staffing shortages remain, and stores are dealing with a new vaccine and insurance coverage for COVID shots. Some have addressed challenges, but customers can expert slower service and lines.

Some people have had to cancel appointments because their insurance hasn’t updated the billing codes to cover the vaccines. Others signed up for an appointment, only to have it canceled due to supply issues.

The federally qualified health center says the center is open for patients who used CVS and need to transfer their prescription to another pharmacy.

Pharmacy closures by two of the biggest home infusion companies point to grave shortages and dangers for patients who require IV nutrition to survive.

Florida law requires patients to have an in-person visit with a physician at least 24 hours before an abortion procedure, including for medication abortion. The patient then needs to make another appointment to take the first dose in person.

Changes by the FDA mean patients won't have to schedule in-person exams to get a prescription. That opens the door for more pharmacies to provide the medication. But not everyone will have access.