Abortion Pill Access: Supreme Court Flooded with ‘Friend of the Court’ Rallying

Many organizations, including Democratic governors and medical associations, have submitted “friend of the court” filings for the March 26 Supreme Court hearing on abortion pill access. More than 35 briefs have been filed by governors, attorneys general, religious groups, and pharmaceutical firms. The lawsuit involves FDA revisions to mifepristone prescription and dosage in 2016 and the potential ramifications of reverting to former restrictions.

Democratic governors and medical associations have filed “friend of the court” briefs for the March 26 Supreme Court abortion pill access hearing. (Photo from PBS)

Supreme Court Flooded with Abortion Pill Access Support Before Crucial Hearing

In their 45-page brief, medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, warned that unnecessary mifepristone restrictions could worsen maternal health disparities, especially for women of color, low-income women, and rural women. They underlined mifepristone’s safety and effectiveness, citing 20 years of trials showing few side effects.

Democratic governors formed the Reproductive Freedom Alliance to defend medical abortion in a 52-page brief. They stated that medication abortion pill access is essential to reproductive health care, especially in legal jurisdictions. Several state attorneys general prepared a 37-page brief showing the favorable effects of FDA actions since 2016 on people and the healthcare system.

More than 600 state lawmakers opposed restoring pre-2016 laws in a 74-page brief, arguing that it would erode state legislatures’ abortion pill access authority. A 36-page submission by seven former FDA commissioners voiced worries about a precedent that might empower judges to overrule scientific data-based FDA judgments.

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Shaping the Abortion Pill Access Debate

The NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund warned against worsening healthcare disparities for Black pregnant women. They linked pharmaceutical abortion pill access restrictions to maternal health care inequities by race.

Catholics for Choice and Hindus for Human Rights filed a 32-page brief arguing that pregnant women’s abortion pill access decisions are based on their morals and religion. According to their morals and religion, reverting to earlier rules will limit women’s abortion treatment.

These filings give different viewpoints and arguments for a Supreme Court ruling that might profoundly alter abortion availability in the US.

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