GLMA Applauds SCOTUS Ruling in Food and Drug Administration v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2024

Contact: Eli Duffy
Communications & Development Manager
eduffy@glma.org

WASHINGTON D.C. — GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality celebrates the U.S. Supreme Court's unanimous ruling in Food and Drug Administration v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, where the Court held that the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine lacked standing to challenge the FDA’s regulation of mifepristone. This important decision reaffirms the safety and efficacy of mifepristone, which is further supported by over 20 years of rigorous scientific and medical evidence.

A substantial body of scientific and medical evidence demonstrates that mifepristone is safe and effective for nearly everyone, whether they access telehealth services, in-person care, or self-manage their treatment. Similarly, misoprostol is likely the most common medication abortion method worldwide, partly due to its over-the-counter availability and low cost. This method has been in use both before and after the FDA approved mifepristone. Decades of scientific research unequivocally support the safety and effectiveness of both medications.

"This case should have never reached the Supreme Court." said Alex Sheldon, MA, GLMA's Executive Director. "The Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine’s argument and the lower court’s decisions are rooted in the desire to control people’s reproductive autonomy and decision making. GLMA applauds SCOTUS for rightly recognizing that a group’s desire to make a drug less available for others does not establish standing to sue, affirming that ideology cannot and should not dictate health policy and practice. No one should have their options for abortion care - or any manner of health care - limited by the uninformed opinions of political extremists.”

"As a physician, I am relieved by the Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss the case against the FDA regarding approval of mifepristone,”  said Jesse Joad, MD, MS, GLMA President. “Any delay or disruption in abortion care is unacceptable, as it forces individuals to remain pregnant against their will, representing a profound violation of personal agency and bodily autonomy. Mifepristone and misoprostol are safe and effective medications, supported by decades of scientific research. Health professionals should be empowered to prescribe them based on their judgment, expertise, and training to provide the best possible care for their patients."

This case arises from the aftermath of the 2022 Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, deferring regulatory authority over abortion to individual states. As a result, twenty-one states now either severely restrict or entirely ban access to abortion care. This systematic erosion of bodily autonomy and access to care continues to be a profound struggle for communities across the country. GLMA remains steadfast in our commitment to uphold the highest standards of ethics and scientific rigor in guiding health policy decisions.

You can read more about this decision here.

About GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality
GLMA is a national organization committed to ensuring health equity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) communities and equality for LGBTQ+ health professionals in their work and learning environments.  To achieve this mission, GLMA utilizes the scientific expertise of its diverse multidisciplinary membership to inform and drive advocacy, education, and research. www.glma.org