Washington AG Nick Brown urges Supreme Court to block mifepristone restrictions

Washington Attorney General Nick Brown filed an amicus brief on behalf of a coalition of 22 states and the District of Columbia, asking the U.S. Supreme Court to stay a Fifth Circuit ruling that would reinstate an in‑person dispensing requirement for mifepristone, the medication used for abortions up to 10 weeks. The brief argues the ruling lacks legal and scientific support, would create nationwide regulatory chaos, and would undermine state authority to protect reproductive‑health access, especially in rural and underserved areas.

The Supreme Court issued a temporary stay, restoring existing access to mifepristone, which the FDA eliminated the in‑person requirement for in 2023 after extensive safety review. Since FDA approval in 2000, an estimated 7.5 million people have used the drug safely; medication abortions now represent about 63 % of U.S. abortions, with roughly one‑quarter provided via telehealth. Telehealth use for abortion in Washington rose from 5 % in 2022 to 27 % in 2025. The coalition warned that the Fifth Circuit order would strain clinics already coping with increased demand following the 2022 Dobbs decision. Brown quoted, “This ridiculous ruling cuts against science and further erodes reproductive rights nationwide…”.