[JURIST] The Massachusetts Board of Pharmacy [official backgrounder] on Tuesday ordered the state's 44 Wal-Marts and 4 Sam's Club stores to carry emergency contraception pills at their pharmacies. Previously Wal-Mart [corporate website] only carried the "morning after" pill in Illinois, a requirement of state law.

Wal-Mart was sued earlier this month [JURIST report] by three women alleging the retail giant was in violation of the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act [text] which requires all pharmacies in the state to provide all "commonly prescribed" medications. Last year the Massachusetts state legislature passed a law [text; JURIST report] requiring hospitals, but not specifically all pharmacies, to carry emergency contraception. Wal-Mart has said it will comply with the order. AP has more.