Gov. Gavin Newsom orders state to stockpile abortion pills after Texas judge's ruling
At the behest of Gov. Gavin Newsom, California has stockpiled up to 2 million abortion pills after a Texas judge's ruling has left the future of FDA-approved drugs in limbo.
"That's what part of being a reproductive state means, ensuring that people get access to care," said Shannon Olivieri Hovis, director of NARAL Pro-Choice California.
Hovis praised Newsom's decision to stockpile one of two abortion pills, misoprostol, after Matthew Kacsmaryk, a U.S. district judge in Texas, put a hold on the Food and Drug Administration approval of the most commonly used abortion pill, mifepristone, on Friday. Mifepristone was approved by the FDA more than two decades ago.
"I think it should be very alarming to all of us that these rigged courts with judge shopping that they can undo 23 of FDA years approval of a drug," said Hovis. "This is unprecedented."
In case mifepristone is banned by the courts, Newsom said the state has secured an emergency supply of up to 2 million pills of misoprostol.
Last week's ruling came after an anti-abortion rights group took the case to Kacsmaryk's court, claiming the FDA improperly approved mifepristone. They argued the pill posed a risk to patients.
"There have been many studies done in over 100,000 women over 20 years showing it's a remarkably safe drug," said CBS News Medical Contributor Dr. David Agus. "Doesn't mean totally safe, but it means very safe.
Before becoming a judge, Kacsmaryk worked extensively on anti-abortion rights advocacy. For now, Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee, has suspended his own ruling a for a week to allow for appeal, allowing mifepristone to still be available.
The issue was complicated when a federal judge in Washington state issued an opposite ruling on the same night, which means the case is most likely heard by the Supreme Court which overturned the ruling of Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that recognized abortion rights.
City and county leaders came together Monday morning at Planned Parenthood in South Los Angeles to reassure Angelenos that women's reproductive rights are still protected in Southern California.
"We are so fortunate that we live in a state like California and a city like Los Angeles where we do not have to worry, most immediately, about these issues," said L.A. Mayor Karen Bass.
For those in support of the Texas judge's ruling, Newsom's decision to buy a massive supply of the other abortion pill is not sitting well.
"I think it really is sad that Governor Newsom seems so committed to providing abortion for the entire rest of the country that he's willing to spend taxpayer dollars on stockpiling medication and also doing it in possible violation of FDA approval," said Jonathan Keller, president of California Family Council. "It's a sad place to see where his priorities are at."
Keller said the state should spend more resources on adoption services.
"To me, it's just sad that it seems like, we talk about being a pro-choice state but it seems like they're is only one choice that's acceptable to Gov. Newsom and the legislature."
The Biden administration is appealing the Texas ruling but unless the courts put a hold on the Texas ruling, a ban could take effect on Friday, April 14.
