WASHINGTON — The American Psychological Association applauded the U.S. Supreme Court’s opinion allowing a drug commonly used for medical abortions to remain on the market.
“We are pleased that the court has preserved access to this drug. Policies based on the concept that abortion is harmful to women’s mental health are not supported by scientific evidence. Research has consistently shown that having an abortion is not linked to mental health problems, but people who are denied abortions have worse physical and mental health, as well as economic outcomes,” said APA CEO Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD.
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, a group of anti-abortion activists sued the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, challenging its approval of mifepristone, a drug commonly used in medical abortions. A federal judge initially suspended the FDA’s approval of the drug, but a subsequent decision by a court of appeals reinstated approval while simultaneously striking down the FDA’s previous changes in 2016 to ease access.
In a unanimous opinion, the Supreme Court ruled that the anti-abortion groups that initially sued the FDA lacked standing to bring the case in the first place, leaving all previous FDA actions intact.
In conjunction with the National Association of Social Workers, APA submitted an amicus brief supporting the FDA in the Supreme Court case, arguing that the lower courts’ decisions “incorrectly asserted that medication abortion is linked to negative physical and mental health outcomes.” The brief sought “to make this Court aware of the flawed evidence undergirding the lower courts’ reasoning in these cases,” providing scientific evidence that not only were voluntary abortions not associated with negative physical or mental health outcomes, but denial of access to abortion care leads to greater levels of anxiety, lower self-esteem and negative socio-economic and physical health outcomes.
APA has long been a voice for equal access to reproductive health services. The association has passed four policies or resolutions since 1969 affirming a woman’s right to choose and negating assertions regarding the alleged adverse psychological effects of abortion. APA has also filed 12 amicus curiae briefs in cases involving abortion. The most recent policy (PDF, 72KB) was passed in February 2022.
For more information regarding APA’s advocacy and the science surrounding abortion and reproductive health, visit APA’s abortion and mental health webpage.