Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has announced the state's participation in a coalition of 17 states and the District of Columbia opposing restrictions on mifepristone access in North Carolina. The coalition filed an amicus brief in the case Bryant v. Stein, urging the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to uphold a District Court decision that prevents North Carolina from imposing additional restrictions on mifepristone, which have been deemed unnecessary by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Mifepristone is regulated by the FDA as a safe and effective medication. In 2023, North Carolina enacted new laws imposing further restrictions on its use and distribution, exceeding those set by the FDA. These included requirements such as physician-only prescribing, in-person dispensing and administration, mandatory follow-up appointments, and non-fatal adverse event reporting to the FDA.
A challenge was raised against these rules by a North Carolina OB-GYN, leading to a federal district court ruling that blocked the state from enforcing these specific restrictions. The coalition's amicus brief supports this ruling as it aligns with maintaining a balance between state authority and federal regulation.
Attorney General Tong has actively worked to preserve access to medication abortion nationwide, participating in legal actions against restrictive measures imposed by both states and the FDA. Mifepristone remains accessible in Connecticut, where Tong has issued Formal Opinion 2023-03 clarifying its status amidst various federal court decisions.
"Mifepristone is safe and effective with years and years of clear and conclusive evidence to prove that," said Attorney General Tong. "These onerous restrictions—both by states like North Carolina and the FDA—have nothing to do with patient safety. I’m going to keep fighting in courts across the country to protect access to reproductive care free from needless political interference."
The brief was led by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb. Other attorneys general joining include those from California, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.