HARRISBURG—Attorney General Michelle Henry and the Office of the Attorney General have published the following frequently asked questions resource regarding access to medical abortion and mifepristone in Pennsylvania.
Mifepristone, one of the two drugs used for medical abortion, continues to make headlines in news and media reports due to pending lawsuits challenging the drug’s FDA-approved status. It’s a topic under discussion.
“I understand that there may be a lot of confusion regarding the availability of mifepristone and medical abortion in light of the lawsuits that are making national news. We have compiled this information sheet to clarify its legal status and its availability to individuals considering abortion in Pennsylvania.”
Mifepristone was approved for safe and effective use by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2000. Since its approval, mifepristone has been used approximately 5.6 million times in the United States, accounting for 55% of all abortions in Pennsylvania.
FDA approval of the drug is currently being challenged in Texas federal court, but the US Supreme Court recently ordered that FDA approval should be maintained pending litigation. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDAto reach a final decision.
In another lawsuit, Washington State vs. FDAsubmitted by 18 Attorneys General, including Attorney General Henry.
Attorney General Henry recommends that anyone with additional questions or concerns about access to abortion in Pennsylvania consider contacting the Women’s Law Project for more information.
# # #