Health Groups, Others React to SCOTUS Decision on Mifepristone

Thursday’s Supreme Court decision in FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine — a decision that allowed for continued broad access to the medication abortion drug mifepristone (Mifeprex) — brought varied responses from government officials, healthcare groups, and other interested parties. Here is a sampling of responses:

Bobby Mukkamala, MD, president-elect of the American Medical Association (AMA): “Efforts to second-guess the FDA’s scientific judgment and roll back access to mifepristone were based on a sham case that not only lacked standing, but relied on speculative allegations and ideological assertions to undermine decades of rigorous scientific review proving the drug is highly safe and effective for both termination of pregnancy and for medical management of miscarriage … Current data show an association between restricted access to safe and legal abortion and higher rates of maternal morbidity and mortality, with already vulnerable populations experiencing the greatest burden. The AMA will continue to support access to safe and effective reproductive healthcare against the ongoing threats of interference in the practice of medicine.”

Isaac Opole, MBChB, PhD, president of the American College of Physicians (ACP): “Had the court revoked mifepristone’s approval, the justices would have been substituting their legal opinions for the medical and scientific knowledge of experts dedicated to evaluating the safety of pharmaceuticals, setting a troubling precedent. Today’s decision affirms that scientific evidence must continue to be the guiding factor in approving medical treatments … While we are relieved by today’s decision, more needs to be done to protect and restore access to reproductive health services, including access to abortion across the country. ACP is committed to continuing to fight to ensure our patients can access necessary services without undue government interference.”

Jim Stansel, executive vice president, PhRMA [formerly the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America]: “We are pleased to see today’s decision from the U.S. Supreme Court, which helps provide innovative biopharmaceutical companies the certainty needed to bring future medicines to patients.”

Yael Lehmann, interim executive director of Families USA: “This is the first major abortion ruling since the Dobbs decision, and it is a win for all Americans. Decisions around birth control and abortion belong in the doctor’s office, not on the desks of lawmakers and judges. We are thrilled with this outcome, but the fight doesn’t end here. There are nearly two dozen states that have banned or limited access to abortion, and this has an outsized impact on Black women who face more barriers accessing healthcare and contraception … No matter who you are or where you live, you should have access to essential healthcare, including abortion and contraception, without politically motivated and medically unnecessary hurdles.”

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra: “Mifepristone has been used safely and effectively for more than two decades since it was first approved by the FDA … Today, this critical medication remains approved and available. But let’s be clear: women’s health remains under attack. The overturning of Roe v. Wade paved the way for attacks on reproductive rights and women’s ability to make their own decisions about abortion, birth control, and IVF. Every day, women in states across America are forced to live with the devastating consequences of these attacks on reproductive rights. Healthcare decisions should be made by women in consultation with their doctors — not politicians. At HHS, we will continue to take action to strengthen and expand access to healthcare, protect privacy protections, and preserve individual rights.”

Erin Hawley, senior counsel of the Alliance Defending Freedom (the legal organization that represented the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine): “While we’re disappointed with the court’s decision, we will continue to advocate for women and work to restore commonsense safeguards for abortion drugs — like an initial office visit to screen for ectopic pregnancies … The court recognized that our doctors would have standing to protect their conscience rights. The government’s initial position was that federal law would not protect our doctors from being forced to participate in abortions. Yet at the Supreme Court, the government changed its position and said that federal conscience laws definitively protect doctors in these circumstances. This about-face explains why the Supreme Court parted ways with every other court to consider this case. And it resulted in the court recognizing that ‘[f]ederal law fully protects doctors against being required to provide abortions or other medical treatment against their consciences.'”

Ingrid Skop, MD, vice president and director of medical affairs at Charlotte Lozier Institute: “It is deeply disappointing that the FDA was not held accountable today for its reckless decisions. As a practicing ob/gyn with over 30 years’ experience, I have seen firsthand that mail-order abortion drugs harm my patients, both mothers and their unborn children. Abortion advocates and corporate media ignore their stories as they shamelessly promote mail-order distribution of dangerous drugs without a single in-person doctor visit. As a tragic result, I expect to see more women need blood transfusions, emergency surgery, and other drastic measures and our emergency medical systems overwhelmed. This is not healthcare, it’s abandonment and the pro-life community will never stop advocating for patients.”

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