Attorney General James and 19 Attorneys General Defend Mifepristone’s Safety

September 29, 2025

NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James today co-led a coalition of 19 attorneys general in releasing the following statement after Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Martin Makary launched an FDA review of the abortion medication mifepristone:

"For more than 25 years, mifepristone has been used safely and effectively in the United States and globally. It is currently the most common method for early-term abortion care in the United States and is the standard of care for managing early miscarriage. The decision to reexamine access to this medication was made in response to a scientifically baseless letter and ignores decades of research that prove mifepristone is safe and effective. Medical decisions should be left between patients, their families, and their providers - and they should be guided by science, not political agendas.

"As state attorneys general, we have a responsibility to enforce state laws and protect our residents, including their access to reproductive care. If access to mifepristone is challenged, we will take action to protect it."

Attorney General James has led the nation in fighting for reproductive justice and safeguarding access to essential health care. Last month, Attorney General James moved to intervene in a landmark case testing New York's abortion shield law. In July, Attorney General James sued to stop the federal government from defunding Planned Parenthood. In June, Attorney General James filed a petition asking the FDA to eliminate unnecessary and outdated restrictions on mifepristone. Also in June, Attorney General James led 21 other attorneys general in reminding hospitals of their obligation to provide emergency abortion care. In May, Attorney General James led a multistate effort to protect abortion providers from dangerous certification requirements. In March, Attorney General James won her lawsuit against militant anti-abortion group Red Rose Rescue for blocking access to abortion care in New York. In October 2024, Attorney General James filed an amicus brief urging a federal court to maintain access to emergency abortion care and filed an amicus brief in support of access to mifepristone. In May 2024, Attorney General James sued an anti-abortion group and 11 crisis pregnancy centers for promoting unproven abortion reversal treatment.

Joining Attorney General James in releasing this statement are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.