Advocates for Youth is outraged by Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk’s decision to suspent the FDA’s approval of the abortion drug Mifepristone. Mifepristone has been available by prescription for 20 years and more than five million people have used it to safely end their pregnancies. 

“Mifepristone has been available and safely used for decades. This case is groundless, and was fabricated as part of the anti-abortion movement’s efforts to end legal abortion everywhere in this country,” said Diana Thu-Thao Rhodes, Vice President for Policy, Partnerships, and Organizing at Advocates for Youth. 

We know that anti-abortion extremists won’t stop at the overturn of Roe vs Wade. They are seeking to make legal abortion impossible in this country. But not just abortion: in the past year we’ve also seen attacks on birth control, sex education, and funding for contraception. They will not stop until they have utterly dismantled reproductive health care.

“All restrictions harm young people, who have lower incomes and less ability to travel to get abortion care,” said Diana Thu-Thao Rhodes.  “Medication abortion helps young people make their own private healthcare decisions, expands access to abortion care, and reduces abortion stigma.”

This ruling also calls into question the FDA’s own authority over the drug approval process and could have far-reaching consequences for life-saving medications. 

We don’t yet know how and when access to mifepristone will be affected by the decision. For now, it is still possible to get medication abortion at a clinic or provider.  If you are pregnant and need help accessing abortion, check out I Need An Abortion. 

“Young people are fighting to ensure everyone has access to abortion care when they need it in the best form for them. We urge the FDA to take steps to ensure mifepristone remains available.  Young people need the Biden Administration to take every possible step to ensure that extremists aren’t successful in their attacks on our health and our rights,” said Diana Thu-Thao Rhodes.