Press Statement: The ACLU of Georgia responds to Appeals Court Ruling on Abortion Medication

For now, access is still available by mail-order for mifepristone abortion medication

ATLANTA—The ACLU of Georgia issues the following statement in response to the August 16, 2023, decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals:

The Fifth Circuit issued an opinion striking down the Federal Drug Administration’s 2016 and 2021 decisions to expand access to mifepristone, an abortion medication that is a critical component in keeping reproductive healthcare accessible. The opinion allows mifepristone to remain available but with increased barriers to obtaining it.

Whether the decision ultimately stands (it is still subject to a ruling by the Supreme Court), it remains another frightening example of extremist actors overruling medical providers and patients in order to limit the healthcare of vulnerable Americans. Georgia has seen two striking examples of this in recent years—the six-week abortion ban, and the ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth. The State has taken away essential care for Georgia women, transgender Georgians, and their families, in stark opposition to the recommendations and pleas of physicians and patients.

The ACLU of Georgia continues to fight against this dangerous overreach of governmental power, and to work to uphold the civil liberties of everyone across the state.

You can read more about the decision here.