FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Media Relations
Statement from APHA Executive Director Georges C. Benjamin, MD
“Dueling decisions were released on Friday in the struggle to provide women with optimal health care.
In another catastrophic ruling from the Texas judiciary, a single federal district judge has granted an injunction that will make Mifepristone unavailable, even though it has been safely used by 5.6 million women over the last 23 years as part of a two-drug medication abortion regimen. It accounts for half of all abortions in the United States. Making it unavailable, even temporarily, will endanger the lives of hundreds of thousands of American women. Equally as disastrous, the ruling undermines the ability of the FDA to make safe and effective medications available to patients who need them.
Hours later, a federal district judge in Washington state issued a ruling in a separate case that blocks the FDA from pulling Mifepristone from the market.
With dueling decisions, the impact of neither is clear. APHA stands in support of the full range of reproductive options for women to ensure their optimal health and the FDA’s ability to authorize safe medications to improve the health of our nation.
Abortion is a necessary tool in promoting health and mitigating health threats, and as such should be readily accessible and supported by appropriately trained providers. Continued attacks on reproductive rights only serve to deepen the gaps of equity in our medical care.
APHA has a long, rich history of advocating for the fundamental right to health care, which includes access to abortion and the full range of reproductive health services. That is why we must speak out against the ruling in Texas.
We strongly urge the higher courts to overrule this disastrous decision in Texas."
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The American Public Health Association champions the health of all people and all communities. We are the only organization that combines a 150-year perspective, a broad-based member community and the ability to influence federal policy to improve the public’s health. Learn more at www.apha.org.