Albany, NY – New York State lawmakers Assemblywoman Amy Paulin (D-Westchester) and Senator Michelle Hinchey (D-Hudson Valley) announced today that their bill to protect healthcare providers who prescribe and dispense mifepristone, or any medication abortion drug, has passed the State Assembly and Senate. A.9217/S.8544 ensures that medical professionals will not face criminal diversion charges if federal approval of the drug is revoked or labeling requirements modified, provided the label was accurate at the time of production, and its use remains aligned with World Health Organization guidelines.

“I am proud to sponsor this legislation so that health care providers can continue doing their jobs without fear of unjustified legal punishment,” said Assemblywoman Amy Paulin.

“Mifepristone has been proven safe and effective for decades. This bill would give doctors peace of mind and help protect access to this essential means of reproductive healthcare.”

Senator Michelle Hinchey said, "Our Mifepristone Access Act is headed to the Governor’s desk to ensure that access to medication abortion cannot be wiped out by shifting federal rules driven by politics instead of science. Reproductive healthcare is healthcare, and Mifepristone is safe. It should never be subject to interference that seeks to ban, limit, or criminalize providers for delivering care that is medically-sound and entirely at the discretion of a patient and their doctor. We hope the Governor will sign our bill into law and enshrine these protections for patients and healthcare providers."

The legislation comes at a critical time, as federal officials have recently announced plans to reconsider regulations governing medication abortion access nationwide. In testimony before the U.S. Senate, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. revealed that the decision would ultimately be made by the White House rather than by medical experts. The announced review is based on research widely criticized for its lack of scientific rigor.

The FDA approved mifepristone over two decades ago, following extensive evaluation, and has consistently affirmed its safety and effectiveness for ending pregnancies through ten weeks of gestation. Ongoing monitoring of patient data has revealed no new safety concerns and reinforces the medication's strong track record. Recently, researchers from Johns Hopkins published a review of more than 5,000 pages of documents related to over a decade of FDA clinical reviews and concluded that past decisions had been guided by science, not politics.

A.9217/S.8544 shields healthcare providers prescribing mifepristone from both criminal prosecution and professional discipline. The bill prevents the medication from being classified as adulterated or misbranded under state law if federal approval is withdrawn or labeling requirements changed, protecting doctors' medical licenses and ability to practice.

“New York will not stand by while reproductive freedom is threatened,” continued Paulin. “We will continue to protect access to safe, essential healthcare for all who need it.”