Attorney General Letitia James, joined by 17 attorneys general, filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to reverse North Carolina’s restrictions on the abortion medication mifepristone.
The coalition is seeking to uphold a district court decision that rejected the state’s limits on the drug, which had been deemed unnecessary by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“Mifepristone is a safe medication that has been used by millions of people, and these dangerous restrictions are causing real harm to people across the country,” said Attorney General James. “Reproductive health care should not be weaponized as a tool to win political points; it is a human right that should be accessible to everyone who needs it.”
The brief, filed in Bryant v. Stein, asserts that mifepristone, FDA-approved since 2000, has been safely and widely used for decades. The attorneys general argue that North Carolina’s 2023
restrictions, which include conditions previously lifted by the FDA, impose unnecessary barriers to access and could increase medical risks for patients.
Attorney General James has been a prominent advocate for reproductive rights. This latest filing continues her broader efforts to defend access to reproductive care, which include lawsuits against anti-abortion groups and actions urging Congress to expand health services nationwide.
Joining the New York Attorney General in the brief are attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois and several other states.
