TL/DR –
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has joined a group of attorneys general in petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to protect access to medication abortion nationwide. This follows a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to restrict access to the abortion pill mifepristone, significantly reducing the availability of a widely prescribed method of ending a pregnancy. If the Supreme Court allows the Fifth Circuit’s decision to stand, it would reduce access to the medication from the current 10 weeks of pregnancy to seven, a move that isn’t based on safety concerns but is rather seen as political.
Arizona Attorney General Advocates for Nationwide Access to Abortion Medication
While global attention is focused on Gaza and efforts to create a functional government in Washington, D.C., Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is focused on fulfilling her election promises.
Mayes recently joined a coalition of attorneys general petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to protect nationwide access to medication abortion. This step was taken after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit decided it was appropriate to roll back access to the abortion pill mifepristone, significantly reducing the most commonly prescribed and safest method of terminating a pregnancy.
Mayes Stands Against ‘Hazardous’ Court Decision
Mayes deemed the Fifth Circuit’s decision as hazardous, emphasizing the importance of access to medication abortion, especially for low-income and underserved areas across the nation. Mayes urges the Supreme Court to reverse the decision, which would otherwise roll back regulations making the pills more accessible and reduce medication access from 10 weeks of pregnancy to seven.
This decision was not based on safety concerns, as the Food and Drug Administration approved mifepristone decades ago. Data indicates it is safer than many other commonly used drugs, like penicillin and Viagra.
Impact of Abortion Pill Ban on Other Patients
While some Republican politicians back off from supporting a nationwide ban on abortion, others, like Arizona Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake, welcome a ban on abortion pills. However, this decision could impact more than just abortion access; it could negatively affect other patients and drug development.
According to Jennifer Dalven, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Reproductive Freedom Project, the case challenges the approval of mifepristone and seeks to impose outdated unnecessary requirements on its use. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society also filed a brief warning that the Fifth Circuit’s decision could be disastrous for patients, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing patients over politics.
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