John,

This week, the FDA approved a new generic version of mifepristone, a medication used for abortion and miscarriage care. We’re hopeful this will help to lower costs for patients.

But make no mistake: this does not reflect a shift in the Trump administration’s hostile attacks on abortion medication.

Immediately after this news broke, the spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services rushed to assure anti-abortion activists that the department only approved the generic medication because it was legally obligated to do so, since the medication is identical to the brand-name version.

Yesterday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt doubled down, stating the decision is “not an endorsement of this drug by any means,” and reiterating that the FDA is conducting a new safety review of mifepristone—even though the drug has been thoroughly studied and safely used in the US for 25 years.

In the same breath that she acknowledged the new approval, she continued to cast doubt on mifepristone’s safety, assuring Trump’s base that the attacks on abortion access are not over.

As expected, it’s state and local officials who are stepping up to protect access:

• A coalition of 19 Democratic Attorneys General publicly defended mifepristone’s safety record and petitioned the FDA to ease medically unnecessary restrictions.


• Governors in several states are stockpiling mifepristone in anticipation of federal attacks on access.


• Several state legislatures have passed protections for doctors prescribing mifepristone via telemedicine.