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Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Rev. Code § 2919.123 (2026)

Unlawful distribution of an abortion-inducing drug

✓ current as of May 2026
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Effective:
April 12, 2021
Latest Legislation:
Senate Bill 260 - 133rd General Assembly
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(A) No person shall knowingly give, sell, dispense, administer, or otherwise provide RU-486 (mifepristone) to another for the purpose of inducing an abortion in any person or enabling the other person to induce an abortion in any person, unless the person who gives, sells, dispenses, administers, or otherwise provides the RU-486 (mifepristone) is a physician, the physician satisfies all the criteria established by federal law that a physician must satisfy in order to provide RU-486 (mifepristone) for inducing abortions, and the physician provides the RU-486 (mifepristone) to the other person for the purpose of inducing an abortion in accordance with all provisions of federal law that govern the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for inducing abortions. A person who gives, sells, dispenses, administers, or otherwise provides RU-486 (mifepristone) to another as described in division (A) of this section shall not be prosecuted based on a violation of the criteria contained in this division unless the person knows that the person is not a physician, that the person did not satisfy all the specified criteria established by federal law, or that the person did not provide the RU-486 (mifepristone) in accordance with the specified provisions of federal law, whichever is applicable.

(B) No physician who provides RU-486 (mifepristone) to another for the purpose of inducing an abortion as authorized under division (A) of this section shall knowingly fail to comply with the applicable requirements of any federal law that pertain to follow-up examinations or care for persons to whom or for whom RU-486 (mifepristone) is provided for the purpose of inducing an abortion.

(C)(1) If a physician provides RU-486 (mifepristone) to another for the purpose of inducing an abortion as authorized under division (A) of this section and if the physician knows that the person who uses the RU-486 (mifepristone) for the purpose of inducing an abortion experiences during or after the use an incomplete abortion, severe bleeding, or an adverse reaction to the RU-486 (mifepristone) or is hospitalized, receives a transfusion, or experiences any other serious event, the physician promptly must provide a written report of the incomplete abortion, severe bleeding, adverse reaction, hospitalization, transfusion, or serious event to the state medical board. The board shall compile and retain all reports it receives under this division. Except as otherwise provided in this division, all reports the board receives under this division are public records open to inspection under section 149.43 of the Revised Code. In no case shall the board release to any person the name or any other personal identifying information regarding a person who uses RU-486 (mifepristone) for the purpose of inducing an abortion and who is the subject of a report the board receives under this division.

(2) No physician who provides RU-486 (mifepristone) to another for the purpose of inducing an abortion as authorized under division (A) of this section shall knowingly fail to file a report required under division (C)(1) of this section.

(D) Division (A) of this section does not apply to any of the following:

(1) A pregnant woman who obtains or possesses RU-486 (mifepristone) for the purpose of inducing an abortion to terminate her own pregnancy;

(2) The legal transport of RU-486 (mifepristone) by any person or entity and the legal delivery of the RU-486 (mifepristone) by any person to the recipient, provided that this division does not apply regarding any conduct related to the RU-486 (mifepristone) other than its transport and delivery to the recipient;

(3) The distribution, provision, or sale of RU-486 (mifepristone) by any legal manufacturer or distributor of RU-486 (mifepristone), provided the manufacturer or distributor made a good faith effort to comply with any applicable requirements of federal law regarding the distribution, provision, or sale.

(E) Whoever violates this section is guilty of unlawful distribution of an abortion-inducing drug, a felony of the fourth degree. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of this section or of section 2919.12, 2919.121, 2919.13, 2919.14, 2919.15, 2919.151, 2919.17, or 2919.18 of the Revised Code, unlawful distribution of an abortion-inducing drug is a felony of the third degree.

If the offender is a professionally licensed person, in addition to any other sanction imposed by law for the offense, the offender is subject to sanctioning as provided by law by the regulatory or licensing board or agency that has the administrative authority to suspend or revoke the offender's professional license, including the sanctioning provided in section 4731.22 of the Revised Code for offenders who have a certificate to practice or certificate of registration issued under that chapter.

(F) As used in this section:

(1) "Federal law" means any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter of the food and drug administration of the United States that governs or regulates the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for the purpose of inducing abortions.

(2) "Personal identifying information" has the same meaning as in section 2913.49 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Physician" has the same meaning as in section 2305.113 of the Revised Code.

(4) "Professionally licensed person" has the same meaning as in section 2925.01 of the Revised Code.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 11 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2004–2022 · leading case: Cordray v. Planned Parenthood Cincinnati Region, 2009 Ohio 2972 (Ohio 2009).
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Cordray v. Planned Parenthood Cincinnati Region, 2009 Ohio 2972 (Ohio 2009). · cites it 78× “) ON ORDER from the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Certifying Questions of State Law, Nos.”
Planned Parenthood Cincinnati Region v. Taft, 459 F. Supp. 2d 626 (S.D. Ohio 2006). · cites it 10× “§ 2919.123(A) (emphasis added). The Act defines “federal law” as, “any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter of the Food and Drug Administration of the United States that governs or regulates the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for the purpose of…”
Planned Parenthood Se. Ohio Region v. DeWine, 696 F.3d 490 (6th Cir. 2012). · cites it 2× “Ohio Rev. Code § 2919.123 (the “Act”). Mifepristone, in combination with misoprostol, was the only form of medical abortion offered by Planned Parenthood in Ohio.”
Planned Parenthood Sw. Ohio Region v. Mike DeWine, 931 F.3d 530 (6th Cir. 2019). · cites it 2× “" Ohio Rev. Code § 2919.123(A). Further, the statute defines "federal law" as including "any drug approval letter of the food and drug administration of the United States.”
Planned Parenthood Cincinnati Region v. Taft, 337 F. Supp. 2d 1040 (S.D. Ohio 2004). · cites it 5× “§ 2919.123(A) (emphasis added). The Act defines “federal law” as, “any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter of the food and drug administration of the United States that governs or regulates the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for the purpose of…”
Planned Parenthood Sw. Ohio Region v. Dewine, 64 F. Supp. 3d 1060 (S.D. Ohio 2014). · cites it 6× “” The Act defines “federal law” as “any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter of the [FDA] that governs or regulates the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for the purpose of inducing abortions.”
State ex rel. Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio v. Capital Care of Toledo, L.L.C., 2022 Ohio 3266 (Ohio Ct. App. 2022). · cites it 2× “341 did not confer standing, we find it necessary to address this claimed error regarding standing to pursue declaratory judgment. {¶ 31} It is well settled law that a “person or entity seeking relief must establish standing to sue” with a minimal showing of “(1) an injury that…”
Rogers v. Planned Parenthood Cincinnati Region, 893 N.E.2d 512 (Ohio 2008). · cites it 2× “The court will answer the following questions: 1) Does R.C. 2919.123 mandate that physicians in Ohio who perform abortions using mifepristone do so in compliance with the forty-nine-day gestational limit described in the FDA approval letter? 2) Does R.”
Planned Parenthood v. Taft (6th Cir. 2006). · cites it 2× “Page 3 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2919.123 (A). The Act defines “federal law” as, “any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter of the food and drug administration of the United States that governs or regulates the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for the…”
Planned Parenthood v. Taft (6th Cir. 2006). · cites it 2× “Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2919.123 (A). The Act defines “federal law” as, “any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter of the food and drug administration of the United States that governs or regulates the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for the…”
Planned Parenthood v. Taft (6th Cir. 2008). “Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2919.123 (A). The Act defines “federal law” as, “any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter of the food and drug administration of the United States that governs or regulates the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for the…”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2919.123(A) — 5 cases
Planned Parenthood Cincinnati Region v. Taft, 459 F. Supp. 2d 626 (S.D. Ohio 2006). “§ 2919.123(A) (emphasis added). The Act defines “federal law” as, “any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter of the Food and Drug Administration of the United States that governs or regulates the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for the purpose of…”
Planned Parenthood Se. Ohio Region v. DeWine, 696 F.3d 490 (6th Cir. 2012). “Ohio Rev. Code § 2919.123 (the “Act”). Mifepristone, in combination with misoprostol, was the only form of medical abortion offered by Planned Parenthood in Ohio.”
Planned Parenthood Sw. Ohio Region v. Mike DeWine, 931 F.3d 530 (6th Cir. 2019). “" Ohio Rev. Code § 2919.123(A). Further, the statute defines "federal law" as including "any drug approval letter of the food and drug administration of the United States.”
Planned Parenthood Cincinnati Region v. Taft, 337 F. Supp. 2d 1040 (S.D. Ohio 2004). “§ 2919.123(A) (emphasis added). The Act defines “federal law” as, “any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter of the food and drug administration of the United States that governs or regulates the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for the purpose of…”
Cordray v. Planned Parenthood Cincinnati Region, 2009 Ohio 2972 (Ohio 2009). “) ON ORDER from the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Certifying Questions of State Law, Nos.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2919.123(C)(1) — 1 case
Planned Parenthood Cincinnati Region v. Taft, 459 F. Supp. 2d 626 (S.D. Ohio 2006). “§ 2919.123(A) (emphasis added). The Act defines “federal law” as, “any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter of the Food and Drug Administration of the United States that governs or regulates the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for the purpose of…”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2919.123(C)(2) — 1 case
Planned Parenthood Cincinnati Region v. Taft, 459 F. Supp. 2d 626 (S.D. Ohio 2006). “§ 2919.123(A) (emphasis added). The Act defines “federal law” as, “any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter of the Food and Drug Administration of the United States that governs or regulates the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for the purpose of…”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2919.123(E) — 3 cases
Planned Parenthood Cincinnati Region v. Taft, 459 F. Supp. 2d 626 (S.D. Ohio 2006). “§ 2919.123(A) (emphasis added). The Act defines “federal law” as, “any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter of the Food and Drug Administration of the United States that governs or regulates the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for the purpose of…”
Planned Parenthood Cincinnati Region v. Taft, 337 F. Supp. 2d 1040 (S.D. Ohio 2004). “§ 2919.123(A) (emphasis added). The Act defines “federal law” as, “any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter of the food and drug administration of the United States that governs or regulates the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for the purpose of…”
Planned Parenthood Sw. Ohio Region v. Dewine, 64 F. Supp. 3d 1060 (S.D. Ohio 2014). “” The Act defines “federal law” as “any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter of the [FDA] that governs or regulates the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for the purpose of inducing abortions.”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2919.123(F) — 1 case
Planned Parenthood Cincinnati Region v. Taft, 337 F. Supp. 2d 1040 (S.D. Ohio 2004). “§ 2919.123(A) (emphasis added). The Act defines “federal law” as, “any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter of the food and drug administration of the United States that governs or regulates the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for the purpose of…”
— Ohio Rev. Code § 2919.123(F)(1) — 4 cases
Cordray v. Planned Parenthood Cincinnati Region, 2009 Ohio 2972 (Ohio 2009). “) ON ORDER from the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Certifying Questions of State Law, Nos.”
Planned Parenthood Sw. Ohio Region v. Mike DeWine, 931 F.3d 530 (6th Cir. 2019). “" Ohio Rev. Code § 2919.123(A). Further, the statute defines "federal law" as including "any drug approval letter of the food and drug administration of the United States.”
Planned Parenthood Cincinnati Region v. Taft, 459 F. Supp. 2d 626 (S.D. Ohio 2006). “§ 2919.123(A) (emphasis added). The Act defines “federal law” as, “any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter of the Food and Drug Administration of the United States that governs or regulates the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for the purpose of…”
Planned Parenthood Sw. Ohio Region v. Dewine, 64 F. Supp. 3d 1060 (S.D. Ohio 2014). “” The Act defines “federal law” as “any law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any drug approval letter of the [FDA] that governs or regulates the use of RU-486 (mifepristone) for the purpose of inducing abortions.”
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