FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Freedom prevailed, but this was just one salvo in the ongoing attack on women’s rights. The fight for reproductive healthcare is far from over.

WASHINGTON, DC, June 14, 2024 — In a critical ruling yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that the far-right Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (AHM) cannot challenge the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, a key medication used for abortions. While this decision temporarily keeps mifepristone available in states where abortion is legal, it does not mark a victory for reproductive rights.

The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision merely highlights AHM’s lack of standing to sue, leaving reproductive rights vulnerable and unprotected. This ruling opens the door for future legal battles, underscoring a relentless campaign by anti-choice extremists to ban abortion nationwide and erode our democracy.

Although this decision offers some relief, it is a stark reminder that our fight for reproductive healthcare is far from over. As we approach the anniversary of the Dobbs decision—which has already enabled 14 states to ban abortion, endangering countless pregnant individuals daily—we must remain on high alert. Recent court decisions, such as the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling that embryos from IVF are children and the Texas Supreme Court’s dismissal of health risks posed by the state’s abortion ban, foreshadow a disturbing national trend aimed at dismantling reproductive autonomy.

Alison Macklin, Policy and Advocacy Director at SIECUS, warns that the Supreme Court’s decision does not settle the FDA’s authority, leaving the door open for future challenges against other critical federal agencies like the Department of Education and the Department of Human Services. These agencies are pivotal in ensuring young people have access to comprehensive sex education.

“Access to medication abortion is essential for reproductive justice,” Macklin stated. “Scientific evidence overwhelmingly supports the safety and efficacy of mifepristone. These legal challenges highlight the urgent need for accurate sex education that informs people about all family planning options and dispels harmful misinformation. We expect more lawsuits and must stay vigilant in defending reproductive knowledge and autonomy. Every attack on reproductive access is an attack on the future of young people. We must engage in robust electoral and legislative advocacy to counter these relentless threats.”

This SCOTUS ruling is a call to action. We must unite, speak out, and fight for the protection of reproductive rights. Our democracy and the future of countless individuals depend on it.

# # #

About SIECUS:

SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change has served as a leading national voice for sex education since 1964, asserting that sexuality is a fundamental part of being human, one worthy of dignity and respect. Through advocacy, policy and coalition building, SIECUS advances sex education as a vehicle for social change—where all people receive sex education, are affirmed in their identities, and have power to make decisions about their own health, pleasure, and wholeness.