Is Aid Access a scam?

People seeking abortion care are often unsure of where to find accurate help from qualified providers. Due to abortion stigma and anti-choice ideology even Google searches often can’t be trusted (see our sources and further reading below!). Searching for safe and affordable abortion pills is even more fraught because of the realistic fear of being scammed. So how do you determine if someone is a legitimate provider or not? 

In the United States, there are dozens of pill providers that have been verified by Plan C, through a process of secret shoppers obtaining pills from providers and putting the pills through lab testing to verify the medication is real. However, even if their medication has been verified, not all pill providers are created equal. They may send varying amounts of Misoprostol, charge unaffordable prices for shipping, or upsell customers on multiple abortion kits and add-ons that are unnecessary.

So what about Aid Access? Is it legitimate or a scam?

Aid Access is not a scam! It is one of the biggest, most established, and trusted providers out there. They ship medication to all 50 states and through their international arm, Women on Web, to most countries outside of the USA. Aid Access is verified through Plan C and has extensive media coverage since their launch in 2018. 

Aid Access is what is known as a "shield state provider."

What does that mean? A 'shield state provider' offers telehealth services from medical staff who are based in states where abortion is legal (such as New York and California). These medical providers can prescribe abortion pills to a seeker in any state regardless of that state's abortion laws. So if you are a seeker in Georgia, for example, and you can't find a local doctor to prescribe medication because of restrictive laws, you can reach out to Aid Access who will be able to prescribe pills and mail them to you. They are able to do this because of the protective laws in some states that make it safe and legal for doctors to practice telehealth abortion nationwide. Aid Access offers comprehensive medical consultation and payment assistance upon request. Their usual payment is $150 USD, but they operate on a sliding scale for those who can't afford full payment. They will even provide free pills if you are unable to pay anything or don't have a secure credit card or bank account. Their packaging is discreet and contains 1 Mifepristione and 12 Misoprostol, more than enough medication to safely have an abortion at home.

Are there any downsides to Aid Access?

One of the downsides of Aid Access is they do not offer support besides medication troubleshooting. Luckily, that's where our Rouge Doulas come in! We offer 1:1 support to abortion seekers worldwide at all gestations and all contexts. We provide you with whole-person emotional, logistical, and spiritual support from beginning to end. You can get pills from Aid Access, then call us to help you through the rest of the process.

Think of us as your abortion bestie! 

We’re open 24/7/365 for all your questions and concerns (fill out this form to get in touch with one of our doula). After you fill out our form, we'll be in touch to match you with a doula based on where you are at and what you need in your abortion journey. If you would like to learn how to become an abortion doula, we are now accepting applications to our September 2025 cohort.

Resources and further reading:

1. Womens Health Reports (2020). Truth and Transparency in Crisis Pregnancy Centers. Retrieved from: National Library of Medicine

2. Time (2023). Google Got More Than $10 Million for Ads That Misled People Seeking Abortions. Retrieved from: Time

3. Women's Health Issues. (2021). Comparing website identification for crisis pregnancy centers and abortion clinics Retrieved from: National Library of Medicine