Attorney General Kris Mayes, along with attorneys general from 16 other states and the District of Columbia, has requested that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ease restrictions on the distribution of mifepristone, a medication commonly used in medication abortions. According to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Mayes stated that the FDA should remove unnecessary restrictions to improve access to reproductive healthcare.
The coalition highlighted the safety of medication abortion and argued that current FDA rules, including mandatory provider registration, pharmacy certifications, and signed patient agreements, create barriers for both medical providers and patients. They are also seeking to allow states to oversee the medication independently. Earlier this year, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a review of the drug.
States joining Arizona in this petition include Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, the District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania. Attorney General Mayes has also participated in federal litigation, including submitting an amicus brief in a Supreme Court case, which led to an injunction preventing the FDA from further limiting access to mifepristone.
