ICYMI: ‘What Happens in Texas Doesn’t Stay in Texas’ - Why Everyone Should Care About the Future of Mifepristone 

In press briefing, abortion rights advocates and providers sound alarm on the looming impact of the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA ruling, a baseless, politically-motivated attempt to undermine abortion access nationwide.

A recording of the briefing is available here. 

Yesterday, Jennifer Dalven, Director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project, Dr. Bhavik Kumar, Medical Director for Primary and Transgender Care at Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, and Caroline Mello Roberson, NARAL Pro-Choice America Southwest Regional Director, hosted a briefing to sound the alarm on why everyone, no matter where you live or if abortion access is protected in your state, should care about Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, a lawsuit currently before a Texas federal judge. 

This lawsuit is a baseless, politically-motivated attempt to undermine access to abortion nationwide by revoking the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, a crucial medication for abortion and miscarriage care. Mifepristone has been approved by the FDA and used by millions for over two decades, and major medical organizations including the American Medical Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and others have all voiced their support for access to mifepristone. 

“What happens in Texas doesn’t stay in Texas,” said Dr. Kumar. “Mifepristone is a medication now used in over half of the reported abortions in this country. Attacks like this on a critical and safe medication make my job and that of other compassionate healthcare providers much more difficult.”

This case could also upend the FDA’s authority by setting a precedent for courts to overturn the FDA’s approval of other medications for political reasons, including essential medications such as hormone blockers or vaccines.

“In a normal world, this case would be thrown out of court, but the case is being heard by an extreme judge who was hand-picked by abortion opponents for this case. The judge's decision could disrupt the ability of people to get abortion and miscarriage care in all 50 states, even where abortion is legal and protected,” said Jennifer Dalven. “The premise of this suit is frightening, not just for what it means for abortion and miscarriage care, but any other medication that faces political attacks. What we have here is a fringe group with political opposition to a medication that specifically picked a judge they liked to subvert the normal, rigorous FDA process for approving medications. If they can do this with mifepristone, it doesn’t take much creativity to imagine the types of drugs, including vaccines, that might be next on the chopping block.”

The American people have made it clear, time and time again, that they overwhelmingly support protecting access to safe and legal abortion, and do not believe that politicians should interfere with their personal health care decisions. 

“We’re seeing the power of voters being interested in protecting reproductive rights, and abortion rights in particular,” said Caroline Mello Roberson. “Voters are really speaking out loudly and proudly, and I think we’re really going to see that continue in this next election and what is to come. We’re hopeful that we can see [abortion access] restored in Arizona and that we can expand access to care in Nevada.”

A recording of the briefing is available here. 

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