Planned Parenthood LA, local leaders respond to decision to rescind FDA approval for Mifepristone
For Immediate Release: April 11, 2023
As originally published by 2 Urban Girls on April 11, 2023
Planned Parenthood Los Angeles (PPLA) released the following statement from President and CEO Sue Dunlap in response to the unprecedented and deeply harmful move to declare mifepristone unlawful, threatening the 22-year approval one of two medications used in the most common medication abortion regiment in the United States.
“This decision is an outright attack on our rights and our ability to make decisions about our own futures. It is an attack on patients seeking care. Abortion is essential healthcare and we remain committed to ensuring out patients have access to the services they need,” said Sue Dunlap, President & CEO of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles.
The Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), filed by several anti-abortion medical groups in November 2022 in the Northern District of Texas, sought to repeal the FDA’s approval of mifepristone. The plaintiffs argued that the FDA fast-tracked its approval of the medication without sufficient scientific evidence, using a regulatory process intended for treatments for life-threatening illnesses. Moreover, they requested the revival of the Comstock Act of 1873, an antiquated and scarcely enforced law that attempted to ban “obscenities” such as abortion medication from being sent via mail.
“When the opinions of scientists and medical professionals are bypassed by judges, lives are put at risk. This ruling is yet another attack on the rights of women across this country,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “But we cannot allow this ruling to cause us to despair – it must drive us to take action. For as long as I serve as Mayor, I will do all I can to ensure that Los Angeles remains a safe haven for women across the country who are seeking access to abortion care and reproductive freedom.”
The consequences of this case are incredibly far-reaching — and go as far as taking mifepristone entirely off the market nationwide — even in states where abortion is accessible and protected. Because Mifepristone is used in more than half of abortion procedures nationwide, taking it off the market would significantly compromise abortion access across the country — including in California, Illinois, New York, and other states that have secured abortion access.
“Let me be crystal clear, Los Angeles County will continue to provide free and low-cost access to abortion and reproductive healthcare services,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell. “While today’s undemocratic restriction on abortion is distressing, LA County has safeguarded reproductive rights by declaring the county a safe haven for abortion access. I will proudly continue to stand with my colleagues in fighting to preserve reproductive health care services in our county and our state.”
In preparation for today’s ruling, PPLA has been working with the State of California, Los Angeles County, and the cities of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and West Hollywood to prepare for the impact this decision will have on Planned Parenthood health centers across California. In January 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom declared California a Safe Haven State for abortion access. Following that announcement, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors declared Los Angeles County a Safe Haven County for access to abortion and reproductive health care.
The momentum for reproductive rights has only continued to grow as progressive cities like Long Beach, Los Angeles, and West Hollywood have demonstrated their unwavering support for access to safe and legal abortion. With many states nationwide implementing hostile bans on reproductive healthcare, these cities have taken the lead in preparing for an increase in patients seeking care. And in November 2022, their hard work paid off, as Proposition 1 was overwhelmingly passed, amending the California Constitution to explicitly protect a person’s fundamental rights to have an abortion and to choose or refuse contraceptives.
Despite the recent decision, it’s important to remember that abortion is still a legal and essential healthcare service in California. If you or someone you know needs access to reproductive healthcare, don’t hesitate to visit Planned Parenthood Los Angeles at www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-los-angelesoror call 1-800-576-5544 for confidential and compassionate care.