Statement by National NOW President Kim Villanueva on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals Ruling Restricting Access to Mifepristone
WASHINGTON–The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday severely restricted access to the abortion pill mifepristone, ruling that it could no longer be prescribed by telemedicine or delivered by mail.
Mifepristone is an essential lifeline for people who live in abortion-ban states –- and for those who can’t take time off work, afford childcare, or travel hundreds of miles to reach a clinic. It’s a medication that’s also used to manage miscarriages and other health issues.
This decision isn’t about safety — it’s about control, and it will disproportionately harm those already facing the greatest barriers to care.
This case was filed by a group designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center– and decided by a lifelong right-wing activist judge hand-picked by Donald Trump.
This dangerous overreach is not based on science, medicine, or sound legal principles. It is a raw exercise of political power that shows clear contempt for women’s health and bodily autonomy.
Mifepristone is safe, effective, and backed by decades of rigorous clinical research and peer-reviewed studies.
This dangerous decision must not stand.
We will not go back. NOW will fight this ruling all the way to the Supreme Court.