Statement from Senator Shelley Mayer on the Decision in 'Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine vs FDA'

(Port Chester, NY) - "Yesterday’s decision by Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk cannot stand. In an unprecedented ruling, a single federal district court judge has invalidated 20 plus years of the FDA 's approval of mifepristone, a key drug used in safe medication abortions. Mifepristone has been used for years as part of a safe abortion procedure. After the Dobbs decision, it was more clear than ever that medication abortion, with mifepristone, would be one of the most important methods of abortion, so millions of women could have control over their bodies. 

"The United States Supreme Court must defer to the authority of the FDA and overturn this decision with due haste. If this decision stands, it will have enormous implications not only for people seeking medication abortion and providers, but also on the standard of practice of policy making in the future. This is an inappropriate exercise of federal judicial authority and is an unjust and unfounded decision that undermines the rigorous and scientifically driven processes continuously undertaken by the FDA .

"While red states have turned their back on half their constituents, New York has stepped in to provide healthcare to people in need. I am proud to have sponsored legislation which has passed the NYS Senate to protect New York health providers who prescribe and distribute mifepristone to women throughout the US, and look forward to its prompt passage by the NYS Assembly and signature by Governor Hochul. We will continue to fight to ensure women – regardless of where they live – have access to safe, full control over their health care choices, including medication abortion with mifepristone."