Court Curbs Abortion Pill Access

U.S. Court Restricts Abortion Pill Access A U.S. appeals court on Friday, October 27, 2023, issued an order significantly limiting access to the abortion pill mifepristone by reinstating a requirement for in-person acquisition. This decision by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily reverses a 2023 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation that permitted doctors to prescribe and send the medication without an in-person consultation, thereby restricting mail-order and pharmacy access.

The ruling specifically impacts the availability of mifepristone, which is the most common method for terminating pregnancies in the United States. It particularly affects states where abortion is banned, as the decision stems from a lawsuit initiated by the state of Louisiana. The order will remain in effect as the legal proceedings continue.

Mifepristone is the initial component of a two-pill regimen recommended by the FDA for pregnancy termination. Its expanded availability, including the lifting of in-person dispensing requirements, was initially implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2021 and made permanent in 2023. This appellate order overrides a lower court's earlier decision this month that had paused the case.