April 9, 2023 - Washington - Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) on Saturday released the following statement after a Texas federal judge invalidated the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the abortion pill mifepristone:

“It’s appalling that a single federal judge in Texas is attempting to stop the use of an abortion drug that has been safely used for more than 20 years. This ruling would effectively deny patients access to medication abortion in every state – even in states like California where abortion remains legal.

“The science is clear: mifepristone – in combination with a second drug – has allowed more than 5 million women to receive abortion care since it was first approved in 2000. Medication abortions now account for more than half of all abortions in the United States and the two-drug mifepristone combination is widely considered to be safer than other alternatives. There were no health concerns to block access now.

“But this ruling wasn’t about the safety of the drug or protecting patients. This was clearly about overriding the FDA’s processes and expertise to attack women’s reproductive rights. Science, not an extreme right-wing ideology, should determine which drugs are available to women seeking an abortion.

“This ruling has thankfully not gone into effect. There is a conflicting ruling in Washington state and the Justice Department has announced it will appeal this latest effort to deny patients access to reproductive health care. I’m proud to join them in that fight.”
Source: Senator Dianne Feinstein