Jan 26 (Reuters) – Anti-abortion protesters broke into the room where Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc\u00a0(WBA.O)\u00a0held its annual shareholders meeting in Newport Coast, California on Thursday for its decision to start selling abortion pills, the pharmacy chain said.
\nWalgreens and CVS Health Corp\u00a0(CVS.N)\u00a0said on Jan. 4\u00a0that they plan to offer abortion pills following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to allow retail pharmacies to offer the drug in the country for the first time.
\n“Today, directly after the close of official business of our annual shareholders meeting, a small group of protesters entered the meeting room without authorization,” Walgreens Senior Director for External Relations Fraser Engerman told Reuters.
\n“We are grateful that none of our shareholders, team members and event staff were harmed during this incident,” Engerman said in a written statement.
\nThe FDA on Jan. 3\u00a0finalized a rule\u00a0allowing retail pharmacies to sell mifepristone. However, pharmacies must still weigh whether and where to offer the pill given political controversy surrounding abortion in the United States.
\n“It was a wild annual shareholders meeting,” said Walgreens shareholder and AGM attendee John Chevedden. “The protesters knew what they were doing because they found a way to enter the room from behind the podium. It was a complete surprise.”<\/p>\n