Appeals Court Imposes Restrictions on Medication Abortion, But no Changes on the Ground

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 16, 2023
Contact: [email protected]

Today, in AHM v. FDA, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated in part and affirmed in part the preliminary injunction that district court Judge Kacsmaryk issued April 7.

Statement from Melissa Fowler, Chief Program Officer at the National Abortion Federation:

Although the 5^th Circuit sided with anti-abortion groups today, there is no immediate effect on the ground and medication abortion remains safe and available.

This case and continued attempts to restrict mifepristone—one of two drugs used in medication abortion care—are not based in science, they are simply part of a broader agenda to try and ban abortion in every state—even in those with legal protections for abortion access. Mifepristone has been proven over decades to be safe and effective, yet anti-abortion extremists will stop at nothing to ban people from accessing it, just for the sake of fulfilling a political agenda. 

But we will not stop fighting for people’s ability to access the full spectrum of abortion care. We continue to work alongside our national network of member providers to ensure they can continue providing compassionate, clinically sound, evidence-based care to patients, no matter the shifting legal landscape. Simultaneously, NAF’s National Abortion Hotline will continue to give abortion seekers the accurate information, resources, and support they need to access the abortion care they deserve.

Medication abortion is still available. If you need information about your options, you can call the National Abortion Hotline: 1-800-772-9100.