Last week, the Supreme Court agreed to review a lower court ruling from earlier this year that challenged FDA approval of the drug Mifepristone, one of two essential medications used for medication abortion. Without taking this action, restrictions on the drug could be going into effect. However, should the Supreme Court hear the case and uphold the lower court’s ruling, the impact on reproductive freedom would be devastating. It is critical the Supreme Court overturns the ruling, preserves the authority and expertise of the FDA, and keeps Mifepristone on the market.

Mifepristone has been safely used by millions of people since its FDA approval over 20 years ago. The recent lower court rulings threaten access for patients across the country, including for those residing in states that have legally protected the right to abortion. If not overturned, patients will face unnecessary hurdles due to restricted access to Mifepristone, including losing the ability to receive Mifepristone by mail, a shorter window period to use it, and/or be required to attend unnecessary follow-up medical visits. These restrictions disregard decades of scientific evidence and establish a dangerous precedent for ideological interference in evidence-based medicine.

Public Health Solutions (PHS) is a leader in providing patient-centered, high-quality sexual and reproductive healthcare, including contraception, STI testing and treatment, pregnancy testing, medication abortion, and prenatal care, so rolling back access to an essential medication is a direct attack on the reproductive freedom of the patients we see every day. Any medically unnecessary restrictions on the use of Mifepristone would disproportionately impact the communities we collectively serve, including people of color, immigrants, LGBTQ+ individuals, as well as those who are uninsured, undocumented, and lack resources.

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