Even though we knew it was coming and tried our best to do what we could to soften the blow, the ruling that attempts to block the FDA’s 23-year-old approval of mifepristone (a pill safer to use than aspirin) is still the worst punch in the gut. This case is outrageous and baseless—and is an unprecedented attack on democracy. It is unconscionable.

We need all hands on deck right now to protect what is ours. Join MomsRising and thousands of people across the country in urging the courts to reverse this harmful decision and uphold the law.

What is the full picture here? Last Friday, a Texas judge blocked the FDA's approval of mifepristone and we need the courts to reject this request – and ensure that we keep mifepristone on the shelves. We are on a mission to garner 1 MILLION signatures, collectively with other reproductive justice rights groups, to save the medication used to safely and effectively assist abortion, which is commonly used in cases where a pregnancy ends in a miscarriage and heavily relied on where abortion is medically necessary to save a person’s life. While this case still has several steps, if ultimately won, it could result in a devastating nationwide ban on mifepristone— even in states where abortion is protected— this Friday, April 14th. This is a public health emergency. [1]

Who will be impacted? More than 5 million people in the U.S. have used mifepristone since the FDA approved it over two decades ago. This means that millions of people will be negatively impacted by this decision. The loss of FDA approval may increase legal risk, arrests, surveillance and criminalization for the communities who are most likely to self-manage and already experience higher disparities due to systemic racism and ignorance: people of color, immigrants, people living in poverty, rural communities, LGBTQ+ communities, people who are already mothers and parents.

And, this case goes beyond just access to medication abortion. The consequences will directly impact and limit patients’ access to other FDA-approved medications. To be clear: the courts have never revoked a science backed decision made by the FDA. Ever. Our democracy is at risk. Our rights are at risk.

What we’re witnessing—and for some of us in certain states, experiencing in real time—is an attack on the only option we have left to determine the fate of our lives. At this very moment in history, medication abortion is one of the only available ways to access abortion, this includes miscarriage management. While we applaud the Biden Administration for moving quickly to appeal the decision, we implore our state leaders—including governors, justices and elected officials across the country—to fully show up for people and communities fighting for racial, economic, and reproductive justice. We need those who have sworn to protect us to show their commitment to protecting our rights, and acknowledge that abortion-specific restrictions are a tool of gender oppression that specifically target health care services that are used primarily by women, mothers and parents.

Filing an amicus brief is our opportunity to make our voices heard and help the courts understand the far-reaching consequences of their decision. In this current crisis, we need the courts to do their job and take all necessary steps to protect patients, providers, and protect our reproductive rights!

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