US Supreme Court keeps abortion pill by mail legal for now, as Louisiana’s challenge hangs in the balance.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the abortion pill mifepristone can continue to be prescribed by mail while the case moves forward, temporarily blocking restrictions imposed by a lower court after two manufacturers sought emergency intervention. The case originated from a lawsuit filed by Louisiana challenging the FDA’s 2023 decision to allow doctors to prescribe the drug via telemedicine and send it by mail without in-person consultations, arguing the policy undermines the state’s abortion ban. The Supreme Court’s stay, which conservative justices opposed, will allow mifepristone to remain on the market while the case continues. Mifepristone access is likely to continue until the court decides whether to hear the manufacturers’ case, with Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito involved, amid continuing national disputes over abortion rights following the 2022 overturning of Roe v Wade.
