HARRISBURG—Attorney General Michelle Henry and the Office of Attorney General have issued the following Frequently Asked Questions resource regarding medication abortion and mifepristone access in Pennsylvania.
Mifepristone, one of two drugs used for medication abortion, is an ongoing topic of discussion in news and media reports because of pending lawsuits challenging the drug’s FDA-approval status.
“I understand there may be a lot of confusion regarding the accessibility of mifepristone and medication abortion in light of the lawsuits making national news, so let me provide clarity: mifepristone remains legal in Pennsylvania,” said Attorney General Henry. “My office put together this information sheet to clarify the current legal status of the drug and its availability for individuals considering abortion in Pennsylvania.”
Mifepristone was originally approved as safe and effective for use in 2000 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Since mifepristone was approved, it has been used approximately 5.6 million times in the United States, and accounts for 55% of all abortions in Pennsylvania.
While the drug’s FDA approval is currently being challenged in Texas federal court, the United States Supreme Court recently ordered that the FDA’s approval should remain in place until the case, Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, reaches a final decision.
In addition, another lawsuit, State of Washington v. FDA, filed by 18 Attorneys General, including Attorney General Henry, is asking a Washington federal court to set aside certain FDA prescribing requirements on mifepristone that unnecessarily burdens both abortion providers and their patients.
Attorney General Henry encourages anyone with additional questions or concerns about abortion access in Pennsylvania to consider contacting the Women’s Law Project for more information.
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