Richmond, VA – Today, the United States Supreme Court released their decision in FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, ruling to maintain access to the abortion pill, mifepristone. Today’s decision ensures continued access to this safe, effective and popular abortion method for all Virginians.
As abortion restrictions spread across the country, Virginia remains a crucial access point for the entire Southeast. Continued, unrestricted access to the abortion pill is crucial to the provision of abortion care in our state–especially in this post-Roe landscape, where abortion is currently banned or severely restricted in 21 states.
While we are relieved by today’s outcome, the truth is, this ruling isn’t “win.” This reckless, meritless case should never have made it to the Supreme Court. Overwhelming evidence, and more than two decades of use, show us that medication abortion is safe and effective.
Statement from Nakita Mayfield, Director of Virginia Reproductive Equity Alliance
Ensuring that each person can have the abortion that meets their personal needs is fundamental to reproductive justice. Yet here in Virginia and across the country, anti-abortion politicians and leaders continue to attack abortion care resulting in many people struggling to access abortion care.
While today’s ruling upholds access to the abortion pill, full and complete access to abortion care remains out of reach for many of us. As of 2021, 75% of women in Virginia lived in counties without a facility that provides abortion.
It will take all of us to secure our freedom to control our lives and safely care for ourselves, our families, and our communities. We won’t stop until abortion is affordable, widely available, and readily accessible to anyone who needs it.
Medication Abortion Fact Sheet
What is mifepristone?
The abortion pill mifepristone is part of a two-drug medication abortion regimen that is paired with misoprostol to end first-trimester pregnancies.
The FDA first approved mifepristone over twenty years ago. Today, more than two decades of research have found the drug to be safe and effective in terminating pregnancies and managing miscarriage.
Medication abortions, also known as abortions by pills, account for more than half of all abortions in the United States, and 98% of medication abortions use mifepristone. Access to these pills is crucial to the provision of abortion care, especially in our post-Roe landscape, where abortion is currently banned or severely restricted in 21 states.
Abortion in Virginia
Currently, Virginians are legally able to have abortions throughout the first two trimesters of pregnancy. Both procedural and medication abortion are long established medically safe options that each of us should be able to access if and when we need them.
Virginians are able to access medication abortion, or abortion by pill, from medical professionals and through telemedicine with the pills legally being delivered by mail.
Virginia is one of the only remaining Southern states where abortion has not been banned or severely restricted. Still access is far from guaranteed. As of 2021, 75% of women in Virginia lived in counties without a facility that provides abortion.
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Members of the Virginia Reproductive Equity Alliance:
Hampton Roads Reproductive Justice League
Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice – Virginia
National Council of Jewish Women, Virginia
New River Abortion Access Fund
Richmond Reproductive Freedom Project
Virginia NOW (National Organization for Women)
National Women’s Political Caucus-Virginia