While the nation awaits a decision out of a Texas court that could drastically shape access to medication abortion nationwide, Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington decided to buy a three-year supply of mifepristone, one of two drugs used in medication abortion.
Mr. Inslee reportedly directed the state's Department of Corrections to purchase the supply with its pharmacy license in an effort to distribute or sell the medication to other licensed providers across the state.
The Texas case aims to force the FDA to rescind its 20-year-old approval of mifepristone, which can be used in combination with another drug, misoprostol, to terminate pregnancies in the first trimester.
Ahead of the Texas court's decision, the governor criticized any attempt to restrict access to the medication, stating, "Washington will not sit by idly and risk the devastating consequences of inaction. Washington is a pro-choice state and no Texas judge will order us otherwise," according to an April 4 blog post from the Washington State Governor's Office.
The unprecedented three-year supply of mifepristone arrived in Washington on March 31, according to a press release. The medication makes up around 60 percent of abortions in Washington, according to the blog post. This three-year supply is equivalent to 30,000 doses, according to NPR. Washington is the first state to make a move in purchasing a large supply of abortion medication such as this.
The governor has been vocal about his support for protecting abortion rights in the state. In January, he testified at a public hearing in support of protecting abortion access in Washington, stating, "It is an issue of freedom to have the most intimate decision of a woman's life to be determined by her, not someone she has never met."