Golden State Today

California Attorney General Rob Bonta has joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in the case Bryant v. Stein. The brief aims to protect access to mifepristone in North Carolina. Filed in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the attorneys general are urging the court to uphold a District Court decision that prevents North Carolina from imposing restrictions on mifepristone that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has deemed unnecessary for patient safety.

“For decades, medication abortion has been recognized not only as effective, but so safe that it presents lower risks of serious complications than taking Tylenol or getting a colonoscopy,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Restricting its availability not only undermines the rights of individuals but also creates unnecessary barriers to essential healthcare. That’s why I, alongside attorneys general nationwide, am urging the Court to protect access to mifepristone for North Carolinians.”

Mifepristone is used for abortions and treating miscarriages, offering time-sensitive reproductive care. Studies indicate it allows early access to reproductive care when it is safest and least invasive, reducing barriers especially for rural and underserved communities.

In 2023, North Carolina revised its pregnancy termination laws by adding several restrictions on mifepristone's use and distribution. These included physician-only prescribing and mandatory in-person follow-up appointments.

A federal district court judge ruled that while North Carolina can impose some abortion care restrictions, it cannot override FDA's decision to lift specific mifepristone restrictions. The coalition's brief supports this ruling as a proper balance between state authority and FDA regulation.

The attorneys general argue that mifepristone has been safely used since its FDA approval and that re-imposing previously removed restrictions places unnecessary burdens on reproductive healthcare.

Attorney General Bonta joined his counterparts from Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia in this legal effort.