California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a stark warning on Tuesday morning regarding the potential repercussions of restricting access to the abortion drug mifepristone, a matter currently under review by the U.S. Supreme Court in response to a challenge by anti-abortion factions.
This legal showdown comes in the wake of the SCOTUS decision two years ago that overturned Roe v. Wade, a landmark ruling safeguarding abortion rights nationwide. Since the Dobbs decision in June 2022, which paved the way for more restrictive state laws, several Republican-controlled states have enacted legislation curtailing or outright banning abortion practices.
“Republicans are pushing for a nationwide abortion ban. Period. And they’ll stop at nothing — even attempting to revoke FDA approval for a drug that has a decades-long track record of safety and efficacy,” Newsom asserted in an early morning statement.
“This should scare the hell out of everyone. These extremists will continue working to roll back rights, and we cannot waver in our work to stop them,” Newsom said.
At the heart of the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. Food and Drug Administration case lies the FDA’s long-standing endorsement of mifepristone, a key component in medication abortions. Should the Supreme Court uphold a prior ruling, nationwide access to the drug would be jeopardized.
Newsom decried these actions as not only unpopular but also antithetical to scientific consensus, asserting that they place pregnant individuals in jeopardy. With the Supreme Court poised to hear arguments, Newsom underscored the stakes involved, including reproductive freedoms, scientific integrity, and economic innovation.
“This should be cause for grave concern for everyone. These extremists will persist in their efforts to roll back rights, and we must remain steadfast in our efforts to thwart them,” Newsom cautioned.
Expressing apprehension that the Supreme Court could potentially leverage the archaic Comstock Act of the 1800s to effectuate an indirect nationwide abortion ban, Newsom outlined California’s efforts to safeguard access to mifepristone. While other states like Washington and Massachusetts preemptively stockpiled mifepristone supplies, California opted to accumulate another abortion drug, misoprostol. Although misoprostol alone can facilitate abortions, the World Health Organization recommends its use in conjunction with mifepristone.
Nevertheless, California has taken proactive measures to uphold access to mifepristone. Governor Newsom, in conjunction with the 23-governor Reproductive Freedom Alliance, and California Attorney General Rob Bonta have filed “friend of the court” briefs in support of the drug.
In response to inquiries by The Bee, Bonta underscored the pivotal moment in the ongoing battle for reproductive rights. He emphasized that safeguarding unrestricted access to mifepristone is not merely about preserving medication accessibility but is about affirming every individual’s inherent right to autonomy over their own bodies and reproductive healthcare decisions.
