PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Attorney General Michelle Henry and the Office of Attorney General released a new resource that aims to address some of the questions surrounding abortion access in Pennsylvania.
The Frequently Asked Questions fact sheet answers questions about medication abortion and mifepristone access.
Mifepristone is one of two drugs used for medication abortion. It has been the subject of federal lawsuits challenging the drug’s FDA-approval status. Henry reassures Pennsylvanians that the pill is still legal in Pennsylvania.
“I understand there may be a lot of confusion regarding the accessibility of mifepristone and medication abortion in light of the lawsuits making national news, so let me provide clarity: mifepristone remains legal in Pennsylvania,” said the attorney general. “My office put together this information sheet to clarify the current legal status of the drug and its availability for individuals considering abortion in Pennsylvania.”
Mifepristone was originally approved as safe and effective for use in 2000 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Since mifepristone was approved, it has been used approximately 5.6 million times in the United States, and accounts for 55% of all abortions in Pennsylvania, the Office of Attorney General said.
While the drug’s FDA approval is currently being challenged in Texas federal court, the United States Supreme Court recently ordered that the FDA’s approval should remain in place until the case, Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, reaches a final decision.
In addition, another lawsuit, State of Washington v. FDA, filed by 18 Attorneys General, including Henry, is asking a Washington federal court to set aside certain FDA prescribing requirements on mifepristone that unnecessarily burdens both abortion providers and their patients.
Anyone with additional questions or concerns about abortion access in Pennsylvania can consider contacting the Women’s Law Project for more information.
