Today U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk issued a long-awaited ruling in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, suspending FDA approval of mifepristone, one of the medications used in medication abortion. The ruling is stayed for seven days, giving the federal government time to appeal.

Mariely Neris Rodriguez, Director of Client Services of The Brigid Alliance, said today:

“Today’s ruling by the Texas federal judge to suspend the FDA’s approval of mifepristone for abortion use is a catastrophic blow to people’s ability to make decisions about and access healthcare. Medication abortion, which accounts for over half of all abortion care today, is safe and effective. This ruling, if it stands, takes off the shelves a critical tool that makes abortion more accessible, and in many cases, minimizes the need to travel to a provider.”

“No one should have their healthcare options limited by politics. Yet, this is exactly the result of today’s ruling. Banning access to mifepristone will inevitably delay and disrupt people’s care, forcing them to have abortions later in pregnancy and to seek surgical abortions, which are more expensive than medication abortion and often necessitate traveling long distances to access care.” 

“As an organization dedicated to supporting people traveling long distances to receive abortion care, demand for our services will undoubtedly grow if this ruling stands. At The Brigid Alliance, we believe abortion should be borderless, burden-free, and accessible to all, and are committed to supporting the many people all across this nation who are forced to travel to receive the abortion care they need.”