Augusta, Maine –– Following the news that a Texas federal judge ruled in favor of anti-abortion organizations in a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of mifepristone, one of two drugs used in medication abortions, Maine Family Planning President and CEO George A. Hill released the following statement:
“This decision has nothing to do with patient safety, as the anti-abortion groups who brought the lawsuit claim. Decades of research show mifepristone is as safe or safer than other commonly used drugs, including penicillin and acetaminophen. It’s clear this attack is political in nature and is part of a larger effort to ban abortion nationwide.
“We encourage advocates to recommit to protecting sexual and reproductive health care and rights. And it’s critical we continue to center the wisdom and voices of Black, Indigenous, queer, trans, disabled, immigrant, poor, rural, young, and others who are the most impacted by political attacks like these. We urge you to contact your legislators, support your local clinics, and commit to unconditional reproductive autonomy. As organizer Mariame Kaba says, ‘Let this radicalize you rather than lead you to despair.’”
The ruling means that, for now, access to mifepristone may be blocked by the courts. If necessary, Maine Family Planning is developing plans to continue providing medication abortion at all our 18 clinics and through telehealth using the misoprostol-only regimen approved by the World Health Organization and endorsed by the National Abortion Federation and the Society of Family Planning. In-clinic abortions will continue at the Parker F. Harris and Russell N. DeJong Jr. Center for Reproductive Health in Augusta.
