DATE:
April 9, 2024
21
TO:
Board of Supervisors
SUBJECT
Title
ENSURING CONTINUED ACCESS TO MEDICATION-BASED ABORTION TREATMENT FOR SAN DIEGANS (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
The U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022 turned-back the clock on decades of legal protections and the federal right to access abortion. States across the nation have been actively working to outlaw abortion access - most recently, in spring of 2023, a Texas federal judge's decision to issue a ruling against the abortion medication Mifepristone has the potential to be detrimental to an estimated 64 million child-bearing persons across the United States; this includes people living in safe haven states like California, and locally here in San Diego County.
Mifepristone is an oral medication taken with Misoprostol to terminate an early-stage pregnancy by blocking the hormone progesterone. It can also be utilized to aid in the process when a person is suffering from a pregnancy loss and can help prevent individuals from needing surgery or waiting for the pregnancy to pass on its own, which can take up to eight weeks. This medication has been well-tested, FDA approved since the year 2000, and has been on the market for twenty-three years. It is widely utilized and seen as a safe course of treatment. Recently, it has been made accessible at certain retail pharmacies in states like New York, California, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Illinois. Additionally, Mifepristone has been a game-changer for people living in rural areas where access to abortion clinics is limited or non-existent, as it has been available by mail when an individual consults with a certified health provider or their doctor.
While the federal court case was appealed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on April 12th, 2023, the appeals court tried to strip Mifepristone authorization for use in pregnancy up to ten weeks, and its availability to be mailed to those in need. This would h...
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