Last night, Trump-appointed district judge Matthew Kacsmaryk issued a preliminary ruling in the high-profile case Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Kacsmaryk’s ruling effectively rescinds FDA approval for mifepristone, informally known as the “abortion pill.” This medication, which has been available for decades, has been deemed safe and effective by leading medical organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. According to recent data, more than half of abortions are medication abortions. Should Kacsmaryk’s ruling stand, mifepristone may no longer be available – even in states with strong abortion protections, including Maine – severely restricting abortion access nationwide.
Much like the June 2022 Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, this decision runs contrary to the values of the vast majority of Americans. Recent polling shows that 61% of Americans and 64% of Mainers believe abortion should be legal in all/most cases. Additionally, polling from University of New Hampshire shows that a strong majority (67%) of Mainers support strengthening Maine’s existing abortion protections.
“We knew that Republicans would not stop at overturning Roe v. Wade, despite the fact that voters overwhelmingly support maintaining access to safe and legal abortion. They will continue their crusade until they achieve their ultimate goal of taking away the right to abortion nationwide,” said Maine Democratic Party Chair Bev Uhlenhake. “That’s why Democrats are working every day to fight back and hold Republicans accountable for pushing an extreme agenda that takes away Mainers’ freedoms and puts our health at risk.”
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