MILWAUKEE, WI – On the evening of Friday, April 7, 2023, in the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration case, a federal court in Texas ruled to revoke the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone, one of the two medications that is the standard of care in medication abortion as well as the management of some miscarriages. For now, approval of mifepristone remains protected because the judge stayed the decision in order to give the federal government seven days to appeal. Shortly after that ruling, a Federal District Court judge in Washington state issued an injunction in a case brought by 18 democratic attorney generals to safeguard mifepristone. In that case, the judge issued a preliminary injunction that prevents the FDA from blocking the availability of mifepristone in the states joined that lawsuit. Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota are among the states that are a part of that lawsuit.
The decision to block the FDA’s approval of a medication is unprecedented and could have catastrophic consequences nationwide for abortion and miscarriage care.
“This is another devastating, politically motivated attack on the safest, most effective medical care for women seeking medication abortion or treatment for a miscarriage early in pregnancy,” stated Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin’s Medical Director, Dr. Kathy King. Dr. King continued, “Mifepristone is a safe, effective medication used by more than 5 million people since the FDA’s approval more than 22 years ago. The majority of patients seeking abortion choose medication abortion using mifepristone as a safe, effective method within the first 11 weeks of pregnancy.” This scientifically baseless attack on mifepristone is intended to increase barriers to abortion care in every state in the country.
“One judge in Texas should not be able reject medical evidence and overrule the FDA’s approval of a medication that has been safely and effectively used for more than two decades, stated Tanya Atkinson, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. “Opponents of reproductive health will continue to ignore medical experts and harm patients until they achieve their goal of outlawing abortion in every state. People deserve the right to access information and medical care to control their own body, life, and future.” Atkinson concluded.
Friday’s decision is part of a continued escalation of attacks on reproductive health care, drastically limiting access to care, and forcing health care providers to practice substandard care or worse deny care resulting in adverse health outcomes. This is why Wisconsin needs to restore safe and legal access to abortion. According to recent published studies and reports, states with abortion bans or severe restrictions have fewer maternity care providers, deficiencies in miscarriage management, higher rates of maternal mortality, premature birth, infant death, and overall death rates for women of reproductive age. They are also more likely to have greater racial inequities across these outcomes, which disproportionately affects women of color.
Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin’s doors are open and is working to provide patients with the sexual and reproductive health services and information they need to determine the course of their own life.Learn more about medication abortion here. For more information about options go to ppwi.org or for a state-by-state guide to get care, go to AbortionFinder.org.
