Planned Parenthood Pasadena Still Providing Access to Healthcare Despite Texas Judge’s Ruling

In the aftermath of the April 7th Texas District Court decision in the Mifepristone case, Sheri Bonner, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Pasadena & San Gabriel Valley told Pasadena Now that the nonprofit is still providing medication abortions to patients.

“At this time, our affiliate is still providing medication abortions to anyone who needs one. We want patients to know we can continue to serve them and will continue to do so,” Bonner said on Tuesday.

Leaders across the region have denounced a ruling by a federal judge in Texas that would revoke the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, an abortion pill that’s been in use in the United States for more than two decades.

A Friday ruling by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Texas that ordered a hold on the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone, which is part of a two-drug combination. The Biden administration has vowed to appeal the ruling, which would not go into effect for seven days.

Meanwhile, another federal judge — this one in Washington state — issued a contradictory ruling on Friday, ordering the FDA to maintain availability of mifepristone. The two rulings are likely to set up a showdown in the U.S. Supreme Court over the issue.

The ruling by Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee confirmed to the bench in 2019, was in favor of the anti-abortion group Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine. That group argued the FDA fast-tracked approval without sufficient scientific evidence, using a regulatory process intended for treatments for life-threatening illnesses.

“We’re disappointed and frustrated with the continuous attacks on abortion access. A lot is being decided this week, so what I can say is that the Texas Court isn’t going to have the last word on this,” Bonner said. “We’re prepared to fight back and focused on doing everything we can to make sure people continue to have access to a safe and legal abortion.”

Last year, the Pasadena City Council passed a resolution 7-1 in support of reproductive freedom.

The resolution was brought forth by Councilmembers Jess Rivas and Steve Madison.

“It is unfortunate that a resolution is even necessary in 2022, but that is the reality we face,” Rivas said when the resolution passed.

Rivas’ district contains a Planned Parenthood care center.

One month earlier an Altadena man who allegedly fired BB guns at the facility on multiple occasions was arrested on federal charges of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm for reportedly carrying a loaded handgun during one of the attacks.

In September 2021, the nation’s Supreme Court allowed a Texas law to take effect, basically prohibiting abortion after six weeks of gestation.

Gov. Gavin Newsom in January 2022 declared California a Safe Haven State for abortion access. The L.A. County Board of Supervisors followed suit with a similar declaration.

At 10 a.m. on Saturday, Women’s March Los Angeles for Action plans to march from Pershing Square to L.A. City Hall.

Newsom announced Monday that California has obtained a stockpile of about 2 million doses of another abortion medication, misoprostol, “to ensure that Californians continue to have access to safe reproductive health treatments.”