Published on August 20, 2024, 12:32 am

This week, attendees at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago have been offered free abortion pills by Planned Parenthood. This gesture has two key implications: on one hand, it emphasizes the importance of safeguarding abortion rights—an issue expected to spark significant discussion at the DNC; on the other, it underscores how Democrats are aligning themselves with prominent pharmaceutical companies.

There’s a substantial financial incentive involved too. Abortion pills like mifepristone—currently being distributed by Planned Parenthood Great Rivers just outside of the DNC venue—generate significant revenue that could reach hundreds of millions of dollars annually for major pharmaceutical firms.

Following President Joe Biden’s inauguration, Democrats expressed support for COVID-19 vaccine mandates playing into big pharmaceutical companies’ hands. As a direct result, companies such as Pfizer, BioNTech, Moderna, and Sinovac accumulated $90 billion in profits according to data provided by the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations. With Pfizer alone recording an astounding $35 billion in net profits.

A report from pro-abortion research body the Guttmacher Institute stated that medication abortions accounted for up to 63 percent of approximately 1.037 million abortions conducted across the United States in 2023—that equates to nearly 653,310 abortions. According to Planned Parenthood’s own website records showing they typically charge around $580 for medication abortion services., If they had performed all medication abortions registered in 2023, their gross revenue would constitute a staggering total exceeding $378 million.

The drugs used for these types of procedures usually cost around $300 as per National Institutes of Health (NIH) evaluations. On retail platforms however, prices can be significantly lower—with mifepristone going for about $80 or less if prescribed “off-label”. But given that misoprostol costs around just five dollars per dose it’s clear there is an instant profitability in selling these pills at marked-up prices to institutions like Planned Parenthood.

Reductions on abortion and the sale of associated drugs like mifepristone remain a contentious issue despite its legal limitations. Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed women the constitutional right to an abortion in America, was overturned by Supreme Court in 2022. This led to more stringent regulations on abortions set by Republican-led states – with an active ban or restrictions in 21 states translated into approximately 32,000 additional births every year.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz—her running mate—have been vocal about their support for completely unrestricted abortion rights. While serving in the Senate, Harris backed legislation that would prevent even basic state-level restrictions on abortions. Similarly, Gov. Walz’s pro-abortion stance raised eyebrows among his peers—including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi—to such an extent they urged him to moderate his public position.

Their approach towards the issue suggests a prospective Harris-Walz administration would further ease access to medication abortions potentially amplifying Big Pharma’s profits even more.

Planned Parenthood Great Rivers has disclosed that their services will be delivered based on a “sliding-fee scale.” Concurrently, free vasectomies are also being provided outside DNC venues by Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, bolstering accessibility and options for reproductive health decisions.