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Reproductive Rights Explainers
Under Attack: 10 Things to Know About Mifepristone on the 25th Anniversary of its FDA Approval
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice. For medical guidance, please consult a qualified health care provider.
⚡️ TL;DR (too long, didn’t read)
Commonly known as “the abortion pill,” mifepristone has been safely used for decades and is a cornerstone of reproductive health care.
But 25 years after FDA approval, anti-abortion extremists are escalating their attacks to restrict access to it nationwide.
10 Things to Know About Mifepristone on the 25th Anniversary of its FDA Approval
1. Mifepristone Has Been Used Safely for 25 Years
Mifepristone has been safely used by more than 7.5 million people in the U.S. since its FDA approval 25 years ago. Over 200 peer-reviewed studies and its 99% safety record makes it even safer than Tylenol.
Anti-abortion politicians ignore this overwhelming evidence because their agenda is about control, not science.
10 Things to Know About Mifepristone on the 25th Anniversary of its FDA Approval
2. Mifepristone Is Essential Beyond Abortion Care
Mifepristone isn't just used for abortion care. It’s also a vital treatment for miscarriage. Without it, patients experiencing a miscarriage can face dangerous—sometimes life-threatening—complications. Restricting access to mifepristone puts lives at risk.
10 Things About Mifepristone on the 25th Anniversary of Its FDA Approval
3. Medication Abortion Is the Most Common Form of Abortion Care
Medication abortion accounts for more than half of all abortion care in the U.S. For many patients, especially those in rural areas with limited health care options, medication abortion is the only accessible method of abortion care. Telehealth currently accounts for a quarter of all abortion care in the country, showing how vital remote access is to ensuring patients can receive care regardless of where they live.
10 Things About Mifepristone on the 25th Anniversary of Its FDA Approval
4. Americans Overwhelmingly Support Access to Mifepristone
Two-thirds of Americans—including 51% of Republicans—support the abortion pill remaining legal and accessible. GOP politicians are pushing bans that directly undermine the will of their constituents.
10 Things to Know About Mifepristone on the 25th Anniversary of its FDA Approval
5. Anti-Abortion Extremists Are Using Junk Science to Limit Access to Medication Abortion
A Project 2025 sponsor group published a study founded on junk science and anti-abortion lies to fuel further attacks on mifepristone. States with abortion bans and restrictions like Florida, Louisiana, and Texas used the junk science study to try to justify nationwide restrictions on medication abortion in Missouri v. FDA.
10 Things About Mifepristone on the 25th Anniversary of Its FDA Approval
6. The Trump Administration is Putting Politics Over Medicine
After pressure from Senator Josh Hawley and anti-abortion extremists, Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr and FDA Commissioner Martin Makary confirmed in a letter to anti-abortion state attorneys general that the FDA is launching a politically motivated review of mifepristone. Instead of listening to decades of scientifically-backed medical evidence, the FDA is being weaponized by Trump and his allies to advance their extreme agenda of banning abortion nationwide.
10 Things About Mifepristone on the 25th Anniversary of Its FDA Approval
7. Republicans Are Reviving and Misusing the 150-Year-Old Comstock Act to Ban Abortion
Republicans are trying to ban abortion nationwide by reviving and willfully misinterpreting the antiquated Comstock Act. This 150-year-old law bans the mailing of anything “indecent” or “lewd” and could be misused to block the mailing of abortion pills and related medical equipment.
10 Things About Mifepristone on the 25th Anniversary of Its FDA Approval
8. States Like Louisiana and Texas Are Criminalizing Mifepristone
Louisiana enacted a law classifying mifepristone as a controlled substance, making it illegal to possess or dispense mifepristone for abortion care. Texas also doubled down with HB 7, a bounty-hunter abortion ban that rewards private citizens a minimum of $100,000 when they sue anyone involved in providing abortion pills. These measures weaponize the legal system against patients and providers.
10 Things About Mifepristone on the 25th Anniversary of Its FDA Approval
9. Shield Laws Can Protect Providers, Patients, and Reproductive Freedom
States like California, New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts have enacted telehealth shield laws to protect doctors who prescribe medication abortion pills across state lines. Some states have passed laws that allow providers to use their practice’s name on prescriptions instead of their own. These measures are crucial defenses against hostile states’ lawsuits.
10 Things About Mifepristone on the 25th Anniversary of Its FDA Approval
10. Students and Universities Are Expanding Access to Mifepristone
Illinois recently became the first Midwest state to require universities to provide medication abortion through campus health centers. Other states, including California, Delaware, and New York, have passed similar laws.
🔑 The Bottom Line
Twenty-five years after its FDA approval, mifepristone remains one of the safest, most widely supported medications in the U.S.
However, it’s facing unprecedented attacks from anti-abortion extremists who want to ban abortion nationwide. Upholding both science and the basic right to health care means defending medication abortion.
📢 Take Action
Just last week, Trump administration officials confirmed they are conducting a sweeping review of mifepristone. This is a politically motivated move that could strip away abortion access nationwide. The stakes are enormous: millions could lose access to a safe, essential medication.
Reproductive Freedom for All is fighting back—and you can help by signing the petition to protect medication abortion.
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