Without waiting for the outcome of the US government’s appeal to challenge this decision, California Governor Gavin Newsom explained that his state was in the process of making an emergency stock of two million pills of misoprostol, the other pill used for medical abortions.
“We will not give in to extremists trying to ban these essential abortion services“, Hammered in a press release Mr. Newsom, explaining that his State had already received 250,000 of these pills, which can be used alone as an alternative to mifepristone.
“Medical abortion remains legal in California“, he insisted.
Massachusetts also announced on Monday that it had purchased more than 15,000 mifepristone pills, the equivalent of a year’s supply usually used by that state.
It will also release a million dollars to allow health professionals to stock up on this pill, before justice decides definitively on its future.
“We are not going to let an extremist Texas judge reverse this proven drug and restrict access to care in our state,” Democratic Governor Maura Healey told reporters.
Last week, the State of Washington announced the purchase of 30,000 mifepristone pills, or three years of supply, to prepare for any eventuality.
The future of mifepristone, used by 5.6 million women since its approval in the year 2000 in the United States, is currently on hold since an ultra-conservative federal judge reversed its marketing authorization.
This Texas magistrate, appointed by former President Donald Trump, justified his decision by citing risks to women’s health, despite the scientific consensus.
The US government formally appealed this decision on Monday, recalling that mifepristone is “safe and effective“.
The Supreme Court could quickly be called upon to arbitrate this legal battle.
Deeply overhauled by Donald Trump, the high court in June granted a historic victory to opponents of abortion by removing the constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy, which gave each state the freedom to legislate in the matter.
Since then, about fifteen have already banned abortions on their soil.
