Attorney General James Releases Statement on Supreme Court’s Order on Medication Abortion

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court granted a stay pending appeal in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, meaning that the lower court orders placing restrictions on access to the abortion medication, mifepristone, will not take effect while the appeals process continues:   

“Today’s decision by the Supreme Court is a major relief for millions of Americans who have been worried about access to their reproductive health care. As the appeals process moves forward, I will use the full force of my office to help ensure that medication abortion options, including mifepristone, remain available and protected in New York. It’s your body, and it should always be your choice.” 

Attorney General James has been a national leader in protecting access to reproductive health care, including medication abortion. In April, Attorney General James led a coalition of 24 attorneys general in submitting an amicus brief to the Supreme Court urging the Court to temporarily block the lower court ruling restricting medication abortion access. This brief was part of Attorney General James’ leadership on this issue, as she also led a coalition in February to submit an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court case challenging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of mifepristone, and last week, she submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to support efforts to maintain FDA-approval of mifepristone. In March, Attorney General James, together with Governor Hochul, sent a letter to the CEOs of Walgreens (owner of Duane Reade), Rite Aid, and CVS to demand answers about the companies’ plans to make the abortion medication mifepristone available in New York state. Following the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse Roe v. Wade, Attorney General James launched a pro bono legal hotline to provide legal support to patients and health care providers nationwide. To get legal assistance, call the New York abortion rights legal hotline at (212) 899-5567 to know your rights.