Court Reinstates In-Person Abortion Pill Requirement

Appeals Court Reinstates In-Person Abortion Pill Rule A federal appeals court on Friday, May 1, 2026, reinstated a nationwide requirement for abortion pills to be dispensed in person, impacting access to mifepristone across the United States. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit granted Louisiana's request, reversing a lower court's decision and limiting the ability to obtain mifepristone via telehealth and mail.

This ruling stems from Louisiana's challenge to a 2023 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision that made permanent a COVID-19 pandemic-era change, allowing mifepristone to be dispensed outside of clinics, medical offices, and hospitals. Louisiana argued that the FDA's regulation posed safety risks and lacked sufficient supporting data.

The Fifth Circuit's opinion stated that the district court had agreed Louisiana was likely to succeed in its challenge and was experiencing irreparable harm from the regulation.

The decision means that individuals seeking medication abortion will now be required to obtain mifepristone directly from a healthcare provider in person. This change affects the primary method for over half of all abortions in the U.S., which are medication abortions. Pharmaceutical companies and reproductive rights organizations have expressed concern regarding the ruling's potential impact on patient access and the FDA's regulatory authority.