on pbs.
>> Since the overturning of roe
V. Wade, antiabortion activists
have tried numerous other
strategies to curtail access to
abortions.
A federal judge in Texas
invalidated fda approval of the
most common abortion pill.
Earlier this week, legislatures
in Idaho, Kansas, and Florida
moved to further restrict
abortion access in those states.
Allie Rogan spoke with our
colleague who has been tracking
all of the latest developments.
>> Thank you for joining us.
Two federal judges reached
different conclusions about a
widely used abortion medication.
Walk us through where things
stand and what it means for
people to access this drug.
>> As of today, nothing will
change.
Two conflicting decisions, one
from Texas from the judge, a
judge Josh -- trump appointed
federal judge who said the fda
needed to invoke approval.
He gave the fda seven days in
order to appeal the decision or
put it into effect.
It would mean Mr. Preston would
come off of the market across
the country.
Even in states where abortion is
legal, Massachusetts or
California.
The other decision came from
Washington state.
This was a challenge brought by
democratic attorneys general.
Saying that it was overregulated
and the judge in Washington
state, a federal judge said --
he did not agree but he said
they had to provide it at the
status quo in the states.
>> You read through the judges
decision, what stood out?
>> We know a lot about his
background.
He was an antiabortion movement
lawyer before he was appointed
to the bench.
What is interesting is you
really see it is steeped in what
can only be called Christian
extremism.
We have a couple of graphics to
show you what is in the
decision.
The first talks about how
mifepristone is a synthetic
steroid that blocks the hormone.
He goes on to say it ultimately
starves the unborn human until
death.
Because mifepristone alone will
not always complete the
abortion, the fda mandates the
two-step drug regimen, which is
true.
It will kill the unborn human
followed by to induce cramping
and contractions to expel the
unborn human from the mother's
womb.
Anything's are scientifically
incorrect in this statement.
Mifepristone is used up until 10
days of pregnancy.
This is when it is very small.
It is medically impossible for a
person to see what could
resemble a fetus during a
mifepristone type of abortion.
Then the assertion that women
experience shame, regret, or
suicidal thoughts.
These have not been proven to be
true.
There is no other way to
interpret this decision other
than the judge's assertion for
what has long been a goal of
the pro-life movement, fetal
personhood.
The idea a fetus is a person
from the very moment of
conception, and there should be
no intervention that god decides
when a fetus comes into
existence.
At the other end of life, when a
human dies.
There should be no intervention
on that end, as well.
>> Yesterday's ruling is about
fda approval.
We should note this is not a new
drug that was recently approved
by the fda.
>> The drug was approved in 2000
by the fda.
We have a quote from judge
rice's decision where he talks
about the scientific evidence on
safety and efficacy of
mifepristone.
He says the plaintiffs assert
the fda acknowledges serious
events are exceedingly rare,
mifepristone's associated
fatality rate is very low and
not a single death is attributed
to mifepristone, and all of the
data shows it is among the
safest drugs in the world.
There is no scientific basis for
subjecting it to additional
burdens that are not applied to
other riskier medications.
It is a drug safer than Viagra,
safer than tylenol, penicillin,
a drug that has been very well
studied.
>> There are several steps that
will happen between now and any
final decisions on this issue.
If we play this out, what will
happen to a person's access to
abortions if mifepristone is
restricted?
>> As we mentioned, medication
abortion is a two-step regimen.
The first pill is mifepristone,
and then -- which causes
cramping and expulsion of the
pregnancy tissues.
They are developing protocols
for misoprostol only abortions.
More nausea, but it is a safe
way to terminate an early
pregnancy.
>> We saw a number of ventures
restricting abortion access
across the country.
Let's talk about the overarching
strategy going on here that
antiabortion rights activists
are pursuing.
>> In Idaho, there is a travel
ban going in effect that will
make it a crime to help an
unemancipated girl, that is the
language of the governor,
leaving the state for an
abortion.
We are seeing restrictions on
certain types of medical
procedures in places like
Kansas, where abortion remains
legal, because the voters
rejected a constitutional
amendment that would restrict
abortion.
In Florida, a move to bring the
ban from 15 weeks to six weeks.
These legislatures have been
very busy.
We see activity in the state,
but with these court rulings,
you see activity in the federal
justice system, as well.
>> Thank you so much.