The NWHN is Disappointed in the 5th Circuit Court’s Decision Regarding Mifepristone

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mifepristone
This statement can be attributed to Denise-Hyater Lindenmuth (MA, MBA), Executive Director of the National Women’s Health Network. Contact Director of Communications Adele Scheiber at [email protected] or by phone at 631 – 538 – 6348 for comments and questions.

The National Women’s Health Network is disappointed by the 5th Circuit Court’s decision to roll back recent actions taken by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to remove medically unnecessary restrictions on Mifepristone-one of two drugs used to self-manage abortion. The Court’s decision would prohibit clinicians from prescribing Mifepristone through telemedicine and ban the sale of Mifepristone online and in retail pharmacies. Fortunately, this ban will not go into effect immediately due to actions taken by the Supreme Court in April to preserve medication abortion access during judicial proceedings. We anticipate that this decision will be appealed to the Supreme Court.

Although the 5th Circuit Court’s decision does not go as far as anti-abortion advocates might have hoped, it is still a grave threat to abortion access. Not only does it restrict access to Mifepristone; it sets a precedent for politicizing  the FDA’s approval process. More than 20 years of research affirms Mifepristone’s safety and efficacy. In fact, research indicates that Mifepristone is safer than some FDA approved over-the-counter drugs such as Tylenol. We recognize that this latest decision by the courts is in part a larger strategy to dismantle abortion access and abortion rights.

At the Network, we believe that decisions related to health care should be based on well-resarched, scientific evidence and not ideological beliefs. We stand alongside our partners to ensure that women and people with the capacity to become pregnant have the ability to manage their pregnancy on their own terms.

Stay tuned for more updates on this issue from the Network and our partners.

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The National Women’s Health Network, a 501c3 not for profit, represents the health interests of women across the life continuum with an intersectional focus on sexual and reproductive health, maternal health and the health and well-being of aging women. We work to improve women’s health outcomes through state and federal advocacy, consumer health education, and grassroots technical assistance initiatives. For more information about or programs, services and initiatives visit www.nwhn.org.