AAPA, APAOG Join National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health and American College of Nurse-Midwives in Opposing PA Practice Restrictions in Alaska

June 6, 2025

AAPA and the Association of Physician Associates in Obstetrics and Gynecology (APAOG) recently joined the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH) and the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) in an amicus brief in a case before the Supreme Court of the State of Alaska.  

The case, Planned Parenthood et al v. State of Alaska, et al, challenges Alaska state law – AS 18.16.010(a)(1) – that prohibits anyone other than a licensed physician from providing abortions. The Alaska State Superior Court released their ruling on September 4, 2024, concluding that the law violates the Alaska Constitution as applied to PAs and NPs whose scope of practice includes medication or aspiration abortion. The state has appealed the ruling; as amici AAPA called on the Supreme Court of the State of Alaska to uphold the previous court’s decision. 

As stated in the joint amicus brief, “APCs provide safe and effective abortion healthcare and play a critically important role as healthcare providers with respect to medication abortion, aspiration abortion, and reproductive healthcare more generally… Depriving Alaska patients of abortion healthcare by APCs would result in many women being unable to receive the healthcare they require. For these reasons, among others, mainstream medical and public health groups overwhelmingly support the provision of abortion healthcare by APCs.”  

AAPA, APAOG, NPWH and ACNM call on the Court to affirm the Alaska State Superior Court judgment from September 4, 2024. 

See the full brief. 

What is an amicus brief? 

An amici curiae, translated from Latin, means “friend of the court.” Commonly filed during the appeals process of a legal proceeding, amicus briefs are submitted by individuals or organizations who are not party to the case, but who offer, or are invited by the court, to advise on a matter before the court. 

There are both state and federal laws that govern the content, timing, and the manner in which an amicus can participate. 

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