Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has filed a legal challenge against the mail-order distribution of the abortion drug mifepristone, seeking to block the approval of a new generic version. Hanaway's office says the widespread mail-order distribution of the drug poses health risks to women and violates state law, according to a statement from the Missouri Attorney General’s Office on Thursday.
The lawsuit challenges the September 30 approval of a generic mifepristone product made by Evita Solutions. In a press release, Attorney General Hanaway stated that the drug is “sending women to the hospital with life-threatening complications” and said the risks are higher when abortion pills are mailed rather than administered in person. Supporters of the lawsuit contend that the approval process bypassed key safety measures and did not require new safety studies despite existing data indicating increased
The lawsuit notes the rollback of safety standards that previously required in-person medical evaluations and follow-up visits. Hanaway's office states that the removal of these measures has been linked to higher rates of complications such as hemorrhaging and infection. The attorney general also questioned statements about the drug's safety in a press release, saying, “No caring physician would call mifepristone ‘as safe as Tylenol,’” and raised concerns about potential public health impacts from reduced regulation.
Missouri, along with Kansas and Idaho, is seeking a court order to revoke the approval of the new generic mifepristone product and to ban the mail-order distribution of abortion drugs. The legal action also seeks to require manufacturers and distributors to comply with state laws and reinstate pre-2016 safety standards, amid ongoing national discussions about reproductive rights and access to abortion services.
“Every woman deserves real medical care, not a dangerous pill in a mailbox,” said Attorney General Hanaway in a press release, outlining the focus of the lawsuit.
