Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed a lawsuit Thursday against Planned Parenthood, alleging the organization misled consumers by claiming that abortion drugs are “safer than Tylenol.”
Filed in the Circuit Court of Santa Rosa County, the 37-page complaint names Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Planned Parenthood of Florida, and Planned Parenthood Florida Action as defendants.
The state contends that the organizations’ statements about the safety of the chemical abortion drugs mifepristone and misoprostol violate the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA) and the Florida RICO Act.
The lawsuit asserts that Planned Parenthood marketed the drugs as safer than over-the-counter pain medication across multiple platforms, including its websites, social media, and television interviews, and continued to do so despite contrary evidence. It cites the organization’s website and promotional materials stating that medication abortion is “safer than Tylenol,” as well as Spanish-language versions and digital tools that directed Florida users to order abortion pills by mail or obtain them from local clinics.
Uthmeier’s office is seeking $350 million in civil penalties under FDUTPA, an additional $1 million from each defendant under Florida’s RICO statute, and injunctive relief to prohibit similar marketing in the future. The filing also requests potential dissolution or reorganization of Planned Parenthood’s Florida affiliates and revocation of licenses or certificates allowing the national organization to conduct business in the state.
“It is vile that Planned Parenthood cares more about lining their pockets than providing women with factual information about the health risks of chemical abortion drugs,” said Uthmeier. “When it comes to health and safety in Florida, we won’t tolerate blatant lies using fabricated medical ‘facts’ that have no scientific basis.”