Gov. Kathy Hochul was one of a handful of Democratic governors to stockpile pills used in medication abortion amid fears the U.S. Supreme Court could restrict access three years ago.
But a feared shortage of the drug never materialized. Now, 150,000 pills in the state’s possession have all expired — and not a single one was distributed.
The state Department of Health says it will soon destroy its reserve of misoprostol pills, which is enough for 12,500 doses. That’s in contrast to California, which took steps to distribute its supply to providers, and Oregon, which reupped its stock at no cost.
Some legal threats to medication abortion remain. But with misoprostol still readily available, New York has no current plans to restock its supply, according to the Department of Health.
“Despite ongoing politically motivated attacks on reproductive healthcare across the nation, New York remains a safe harbor for anyone seeking these critical services,” said Cadence Acquaviva, a spokesperson for the agency.
Hochul’s decision to amass a major reserve of misoprostol in 2023 came after a federal judge’s ruling in Texas called into question whether mifepristone, a separate drug used in medication abortion, would be taken off the market.
The state Department of Health would go on to acquire the 150,000 misoprostol pills at a cost of $112,000, according to the agency. But when separate court rulings kept mifepristone on the shelves, the state never tapped into its stockpile.
New York state stockpiled abortion pills. Now they’re all expired
