What You Need to Know About the Latest Attack on Abortion Care: The Mifepristone Abortion Pill
In yet another attack on abortion care, a federal judge in Texas ruled in favor of anti-abortion organizations suing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The lawsuit challenges the FDA’s approval of mifepristone — also known as mife, one of two medications used in medication abortions. The court’s ruling means that mife could become unavailable to people who need abortions. Although this decision came from a federal court in Texas, it doesn't just apply to patients in Texas — it could apply to people in every state in the nation. Let's be clear, this case is not about safety. It is about controlling the medical decisions of women, trans people, and nonbinary people.
More recently, two Trump-nominated judges of a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals panel largely denied the Biden administration’s request to issue a stay of the Texas court ruling, meaning that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of mifepristone is still in grave jeopardy. However, the courts’ orders have not yet taken effect, leaving mifepristone access intact for now. As of April 13, 2023, the Department of Justice announced that they plan to seek emergency relief to block the lower courts’ rulings in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine et al v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration et al on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of mifepristone.
Understanding Medication Abortion and Safety
While providers can still prescribe mifepristone, this latest federal court ruling could cut countless patients off from access — and it keeps the threat of a nationwide ban alive. This lawsuit is a baseless, political attack on our ability to control our own bodies and lives. To understand the facts regarding medication abortion, consider the following information:
- Safety Record: Medication abortion is safer than other common medicines like Tylenol and Viagra.
- FDA Approval: Mife has been approved by the FDA for more than 20 years, and has been used by more than 5 million people in the U.S. to safely end their early pregnancies.
- Complications: Serious complications happen in less than 1/3 of 1% of cases, whether a patient gets their abortion pills in person, at a doctor’s office, or remotely through a virtual visit.
- Usage Statistics: In 2021, more than half of all documented abortions were medication abortions.
Medication abortion in the U.S. most commonly involves taking two pills: mifepristone and misoprostol. Both medications are safe and effective and have been used for decades by millions of people to end early pregnancies. In states where abortion is legal, including New York State, medication abortions will remain a safe and effective way to end an early pregnancy. For decades, all around the world, many people have used just misoprostol to safely end early pregnancies when mifepristone isn’t available, as misoprostol works on its own to empty your uterus.
Supporting Patients with Abortion Care Baskets
Abortion is safe and common, and every person who has an abortion deserves kindness and understanding. But hurtful attacks on abortion rights can make patients feel shamed for their private medical decisions. You can help show patients they’re not alone by making them an abortion care kit. Abortion care kits are assortments of self-care items for patients who just had a medication abortion or in-clinic abortion.
How to make an abortion care kit
- Start with a container: Buy a basket, gift bag, box, or soft package in a size that allows the items you’re using to fit neatly.
- Choose your items: Consider including personal care and comfort items such as:
- Personal care: menstrual pads, disposable underpad
- Warm, comfy things: heating pads, fuzzy socks, bath balm, peppermint tea
- Cool, soothing things: lotion, ice pack
- Sweets: honey, chocolate, ginger candy
- Personalized touches: handwritten letter, homemade card
- Wrap it up: Add a special touch with a bow or gift wrap.
- Hand it off: Put your items in the container and drop it off or mail it.
Everyone deserves to make their own decisions for their body, health, and future – including which method of abortion is best for them. Planned Parenthood of Greater New York will remain committed to doing whatever we can to ensure patients can access the abortion method of their choice, with as few barriers as possible.