On March 3rd, Wal-Mart announced that it will stock emergency contraception (EC) in all of its pharmacies, starting on March 20th. This is seen as a concession to pressure from national women's rights organizations and their supporters. The company has stated that it will maintain its "conscientious objection" policy, which, it reports, is consistent with the tenets of the American Pharmaceutical Association. This policy, except where prohibited by law, "allows any Wal-Mart or SAM'S CLUB pharmacy associate who does not feel comfortable dispensing a prescription to refer customers to another pharmacist or pharmacy."

On Feb. 1st, three women filed a lawsuit against the national chain for not dispensing emergency contraception (also known as Plan B) in Massachusetts. Before the lawsuit even reached court, a state agency ruled that Wal-Mart was required by law to stock and sell emergency contraception in Massachusetts. The company is required to sell the product in Illinois, and pressure to introduce similar mandates is building in Connecticut and New York.

NOW named Wal-Mart a "Merchant of Shame" nearly four years ago, pointing to the retail giant's long list of alleged workplace abuses, including sex and race discrimination in pay, promotion and compensation, and its refusal to stock EC. "It's a step in the right direction," NOW President Kim Gandy said. "But Wal-Mart has a long way to go before it has policies that value people over the bottom line, such as paying its employees a living wage and providing healthcare benefits." NOW says that its chapters regularly picket the retail giant, demanding changes in its anti-women policies. NARAL Pro-Choice America is encouraging people to write to Wal-Mart to encourage the company to change its pharmacy refusal policy.

Planned Parenthood's Fill My Pills NOW website