A Texas federal judge ruled on April 7 to suspend the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of mifepristone, a drug commonly used to cause an abortion. This doesn’t just affect the state, essentially banning the sale and distribution of Plan B across the country.
This medication is also used to treat miscarriages, Cushing’s syndrome and uterine leiomyomas. If this ruling is not appealed, this decision negatively impacts hundreds of thousands of people nationwide.
This news sparked an Abortion Awareness Campaign that was to be held at SUNY Brockport’s Campus Mall by an external organization, which was cancelled shortly after its announcement.
Appointee of former President Donald Trump, U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, is known for siding with anti-abortion medical groups. His ruling prevents this pill from being distributed through mail and retail pharmacies, as well as being prescribed through telemedicine, deeming it as unlawful despite the FDA having approved it over 20 years ago.
With Roe v. Wade having just been overturned in June, this recent decision has devastated students like SUNY Brockport sophomore Sadie Jefferis, who strongly disagrees with this ruling.
“I’m furious,” Jefferis said. “I think that if something is already out to help people, they should not be able to take that away for just any reason, unless the reason means that it does more harm than good, which it isn’t in this case. This is just something for basic human safety, and I don’t see any reason why they should take it away.”
As someone with a femme-presenting body, Jefferis feels like this decision is unfair.
“It’s not safe,” Jefferis said. “It doesn’t give women the ability to feel in control of a situation. Let’s say I get raped, then go to get a morning-after pill and I’m not able to. That’s fucked up, because it’s basic healthcare, which is already way too expensive. If they want to make decisions regarding the Plan B pill, it should be about lowering the price of it.”
SUNY Brockport freshman Riley Eccleston feels like Plan B should be accessible for anyone who needs it.
“It shouldn’t be restricted, especially for people who really need it because they are not in the situation to have kids, whether they are in a bad situation with a guy or whatever. I feel like that’s something that should be accessible to everyone,” Eccleston said.
Although SUNY Brockport sophomore Christian Lopez isn’t directly impacted by this ruling, he believes it’s too controlling over women.
“It doesn’t necessarily impact me, but if I have a daughter one day, it makes me ask myself if she will have access to these things when she’s growing up,” Lopez said. “My future wife might not have access to these things. My niece might not have access to these things because of decisions that these men are making that don’t even involve them.”
This decision not only impacts women now, but in the future.
“I think it’s horrible what they’re doing.” Lopez said. “For them to do that, it’s just very unfair. Not just the women living now, but women in the future. If they can take this away, what else can they take away?”
For at least one more day, mifepristone will still be available, until the Supreme Court makes a decision Friday on whether they will maintain FDA’s approval of the drug or not.
