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California's Abortion Pill Stockpile: What Does That Mean?
A combination pack of mifepristone (L) and misoprostol tablets, two medicines used together in medicated abortions.
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Elisa Wells
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Plan C/AFP via Getty Images
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Topline:
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state has acquired “an emergency stockpile of up to 2 million pills of misoprostol,” a medication usually used with mifepristone to induce abortion or to manage a miscarriage. Officials say the state currently has more than 250,000 of the pills already on hand, which were purchased for about $100,000.
Why it matters: Last week, a federal judge in Texas ruled that the Food and Drug Administration should halt its approval of mifepristone, putting access to a key abortion medication in jeopardy. His nationwide order is scheduled to go into effect this Friday, unless the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals intervenes.
The backstory: The vast majority of providers use mifepristone in conjunction with another drug, misoprostol, a protocol approved by the FDA in 2000. When taken together, they end a pregnancy without the need for surgery in 99% of cases. The Texas judge’s decision could pull mifepristone off the market.
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What's next: California abortion providers say they will switch to misoprostol-only abortions. The side effects — fever, cramping and bleeding — can be worse with the single pill. And this method typically requires a follow-up appointment with a doctor.
Go deeper: Massachusetts and Washington state have also announced their own stockpiles. Read more here.
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