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Governor Kotek Takes Action to Secure Medical Abortion Following National Election Results

Government and Politics

November 18, 2024

From: Oregon Governor Kate Brown

OHSU secures new supply of Mifepristone, extending the stockpile expiration date to September 2028.

On Nov 18th, Governor Tina Kotek announced that following the national results of the general election, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) have executed an updated agreement to continue operating the distribution of the state’s emergency Mifepristone supply into the future.

"I believe in reproductive freedom and am committed to being a fierce advocate for every person’s access to safe reproductive health care services, no matter the national landscape,” Governor Kotek said. “Oregon is not immune from federal attacks on our reproductive rights. In our state, patients will continue to access the medication they need and providers will deliver these critical services without fear or harassment.”

In April 2023, Governor Kotek directed the Oregon Health Authority to partner with OHSU to secure a three-year supply of Mifepristone – a safe and effective medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over 20 years ago for use in miscarriage management and to end a pregnancy.

The prior supply had an expiration date of September 2025. As of last week, OHSU has secured a new supply with an expiration date of September 2028. The Governor’s team continues to engage in regular conversation with national and local partners, as well as legislative leadership, to understand the potential scale of impacts to reproductive health care in Oregon under a changing federal administration.

The Governor’s full statement in response to the results of the general election can be found here in English and here in Spanish.

Reproductive health equity is a long-time priority of Governor Kotek, both from her time as Speaker of the Oregon House and during her tenure as Governor. She has consistently gone above and beyond to ensure that Oregonians have access to abortion services. As Speaker, she worked to pass the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA) in 2017. Then, as Governor, she directed regulators to ensure that insurers were in full compliance with the law including corrective action plans and ongoing monitoring.

Last summer, she signed the Access to Reproductive Health Care law, House Bill 2002. The bill protects access to reproductive health care and provides state funding to support the work of community organizations and clinical partners to ensure that people across the state have broader access to the reproductive health care they need.