PHOENIX–Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following statement on Friday's rulings on mifepristone:
"Despite Friday evening's troubling and unfounded ruling by Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Texas which seeks to undo the FDA's approval of mifepristone 23 years ago, I want to assure Arizonans that legal access to the drug remains available for providers and patients in this state. This is due to an order issued by Judge Thomas O. Rice in Washington late Friday in a separate case that applies specifically to Arizona, 16 other states and the District of Columbia in a multi-state coalition of plaintiffs. I joined this challenge to protect Arizonans' access to mifepristone, which has a long record of safe and effective use by millions of Americans over the last 23 years.
In contrast, Judge Kacsmaryk's decision flouts two decades of science and consensus in the medical community, and it will cause needless pain and suffering for patients. By dismissing pregnancy as merely a "normal" and "natural" process and minimizing its potential health risks, Judge Kacsmaryk insults patients and families nationwide. The decision also runs contrary to established legal principles. If upheld on appeal, it would mark the first time a court ordered the FDA to reverse its approval of a drug, endangering not only reproductive rights but also Americans' ability to obtain crucial FDA-approved medications.
To oppose Judge Kacsmaryk's ruling, my office and our multi-state partners will soon file an amicus brief in the Texas case – and our recently established Reproductive Rights Unit will lead this work for my office. I remain firmly committed to fighting for every Arizonan's right to make personal medical decisions in consultation with their doctor, family, and faith."
