Federal Court Halts Mail-Order Abortion Pills

A U.S. appeals court on Friday temporarily blocked a federal rule that allowed the abortion drug mifepristone to be dispensed through the mail. The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that the state of Louisiana is likely to succeed in its challenge to the 2023 rule, which was adopted by the Biden administration.

This ruling significantly curtails access to mifepristone nationwide, particularly in states that have banned abortion. The 2023 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation had removed a requirement for mifepristone to be dispensed in person. The court found that the FDA had not adequately justified eliminating this in-person dispensing requirement.

Medication abortion, which accounts for approximately 60% of U.S. abortions, typically involves a two-drug regimen, with mifepristone being the first. This decision marks the first significant curtailment of mifepristone access in a series of ongoing lawsuits challenging the drug's initial approval in 2000 and subsequent rules designed to ease its availability. The FDA and Louisiana's Attorney General did not immediately comment on the ruling.