Attorney General Kwame Raoul has filed a brief as part of a coalition of 18 attorneys general, opposing North Carolina's restrictions on the abortion medication mifepristone. The amicus brief was submitted in the case Bryant v. Stein to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, urging them to uphold a district court decision that prohibits North Carolina from imposing additional restrictions on mifepristone beyond those set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
"Attacks on access to medication abortion and reproductive health care continue across the nation, threatening the lives of women," Raoul stated. "Mifepristone has been safely utilized by millions of American patients because it has proven to be safe, effective and accessible. I will continue to defend against these attacks on reproductive freedom both in Illinois and across the country."
The coalition argues that mifepristone is an integral part of reproductive health care and has been used safely since its FDA approval decades ago. They contend that North Carolina's additional restrictions are unnecessary burdens since they reinstate conditions previously removed by the FDA.
Initially approved in 2000 with specific distribution conditions for safety, mifepristone's regulations have evolved under an FDA risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) program, which balances drug safety with patient access.
In 2023, North Carolina revised its pregnancy termination laws, reintroducing restrictions like physician-only prescribing and mandatory follow-up appointments—restrictions initially imposed by the FDA but later lifted after determining they did not enhance patient safety or minimize healthcare system burdens.
A federal judge ruled that while some state-imposed abortion care restrictions are permissible, North Carolina cannot override FDA decisions regarding mifepristone. The state's attorney general also agreed that their legislature exceeded appropriate limits.
Raoul’s actions reflect ongoing efforts to protect access to medication abortion. Previously, he joined a lawsuit ensuring mifepristone availability in Illinois after a federal injunction barred FDA reductions on medication abortion availability.
Other states' attorneys general supporting Raoul include representatives from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Washington D.C., Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.