In response to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in Louisiana v. FDA, which restricted access to mifepristone via telemedicine, the leaders of Intersections of Our Lives — a collaborative of In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda (In Our Own Voice), National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF), and National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice (Latina Institute) — issued the following statements:
“We know that Black women and gender-expansive people will bear the brunt of this outcome — not only with how we make decisions about our bodies, but with our lives,” said Dr. Regina Davis Moss, president and CEO of In Our Own Voice. “Black women, girls, and gender-expansive people deserve the freedom, resources, and support to make decisions about our bodies, our families, and our futures with dignity and safety. In Our Own Voice will continue to work with lawmakers and fight for policies that protect abortion access, defend medication abortion, and advance the full vision of Reproductive Justice for our communities.” Read the full statement.
“Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) women already face significant barriers to reproductive health care, including language access gaps, immigration-related fear, limited culturally competent care, cost burdens, and deep-rooted stigma,” said Christina Baal-Owens, executive director of NAPAWF. “This action will only compound those harms, making it even harder for our communities to access the safe and timely care they need. We stand with communities across Louisiana and will continue to challenge policies that restrict care, while advancing a vision of health care that is accessible, evidence-based, and grounded in dignity.” Read the full statement.
“This ruling by the Fifth Circuit will hit Latine and immigrant communities hardest,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, executive director of the Latina Institute. “Medication abortion by mail is one of the few ways people can overcome systemic barriers to care, and we know it’s safe and effective. Taking it away is deliberate and dangerous and puts politics over the health and well-being of our communities.” Read the full statement.
Amid escalating efforts to erode our reproductive freedoms at the federal and state levels, the 5th Circuit’s willingness to override the Food and Drug Administration’s scientific judgment is deeply alarming. This case is not about safety — it’s about control, punishment, and a coordinated agenda that will stop at nothing to make reproductive health care harder to access. At a time when families are struggling to afford basic needs like housing, groceries, and child care, it is unconscionable to restrict lifesaving access to abortion medication.
Mifepristone has been scientifically backed and approved by the FDA for decades. Medication abortion is a safe, evidence-based standard of care for abortions and early miscarriages, now accounting for nearly two-thirds of abortions nationwide. The FDA has consistently affirmed its safety and efficacy through rigorous scientific review, including expanding access through telehealth and pharmacy dispensing — policies that reduce unnecessary burdens like travel, lost wages, and exposure to surveillance or stigma.
The ruling in Louisiana v. FDA comes on the heels of the Supreme Court decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which effectively gutted the Voting Rights Act. These two consecutive rulings represent a broader effort to control both our bodies and our votes. Make no mistake: these attacks disproportionately harm women and gender-expansive people of color. When our votes are undermined, we lose ground in the fight to achieve equitable access to health care and the power, agency, and resources to make decisions about our bodies, families, and futures.
Reproductive justice demands that our communities have the power, agency, and resources to make decisions about our bodies, families, and futures — and Intersections of Our Lives will continue fighting alongside our communities to protect that vision.