Sacramento, CA — Tanya W. Spirtos, M.D., president of the California Medical Association (CMA), issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which preserves FDA approval of the abortion medication mifepristone:

“The U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous decision today is welcome news, as it will preserve access to the medication mifepristone, which has been used in nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the U.S. last year, and safeguard patients’ rights to evidence-based reproductive health services. 

Mifepristone is a safe and effective drug that has been used by millions of Americans since the FDA approved its use more than 20 years ago. Limiting the availability of mifepristone would have had devastating health impacts and further intruded on the private health choices of patients. CMA is pleased the Supreme Court has rejected this attempt to interfere with the FDA approval process.

As physicians, we at CMA believe it is essential that patients have access to vital, often life-saving, reproductive health care. CMA stands committed to protecting the fundamental right to access reproductive health services. We will continue to work to ensure that personal medical decisions are made by patients in consultation with their health care providers.”