Packets of mifepristone, an abortion pill. (Paul Ratje/The Washington Post) What will be the future of abortion pills?

The approval of the abortion drug mifepristone has been suspended by a Texas judge on April 7, citing concerns about its safety. This decision has been upheld on appeal, leading to an emergency request to the Supreme Court by the Biden administration. This case holds significant importance as it comes after the Supreme Court’s decision last year to end the nationwide right to abortion. Mifepristone is a pill that is used in more than half of abortions in the US and was initially approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over two decades ago.

Earlier this month, a federal judge in Texas revoked the FDA’s approval for mifepristone while hearing a lawsuit brought by a pro-life group. The lawsuit challenged the safety of mifepristone, and the Texas judge claimed that the FDA had rushed its approval without properly considering its side effects. The FDA and other health organizations, such as the American Medical Association, have maintained that mifepristone is safe and effective.

Recently, a federal judge in Washington state issued a conflicting ruling, ordering the FDA to maintain the availability of mifepristone without any changes, thereby preserving access to the drug in 17 US states. With these contradictory rulings, the government appealed to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals based in New Orleans.

As the appeal was being heard, the appeals court agreed to keep mifepristone on the market, but with additional restrictions. The details of these restrictions are yet to be disclosed, but it is evident that the fate of mifepristone remains uncertain.

 

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