Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum is advocating for the removal of restrictions imposed by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on mifepristone, a medication used for abortions. The call to action was directed at a federal judge in Spokane, Washington. AG Rosenblum, alongside Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, is leading an 18-state coalition challenging the FDA's regulations in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington.
"Mifepristone is a very safe drug, yet the FDA makes it unnecessarily difficult for people who need it. The restrictions (REMS) simply are not medically necessary. In fact, they put patients at risk," stated AG Rosenblum. She continued, "We are asking the judge in our case to invalidate the misguided and paternalistic restrictions imposed by the FDA." AG Rosenblum expressed pride in collaborating with other attorneys general to ensure access to essential medications.
Previously, Judge Thomas O. Rice granted a preliminary injunction in April 2023 that prevented the FDA from limiting access to mifepristone in 17 states and Washington D.C. His ruling indicated that the FDA likely did not adhere to legal requirements when imposing strict measures on mifepristone.
The recent motion for summary judgment emphasizes that extensive data confirms mifepristone's safety and effectiveness, opposing long-standing medical expert criticisms of FDA restrictions. The coalition argues that these constraints unjustly restrict access to a drug deemed safer than Tylenol, Viagra, and insulin.
Washington AG Ferguson added his voice: "We are continuing to fight for reproductive freedom, including access to mifepristone." He urged the FDA to lift its "unnecessary and unlawful" limitations on this "safe and effective medication," noting ongoing attacks against scientifically validated abortion medications but reaffirming their commitment to ensuring access.
Besides Oregon and Washington, attorneys general from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington D.C., have joined this legal effort.