Supreme Court to consider abortion pill case
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to consider a case challenging access to the most commonly used method of abortion in the United States, a medication called mifepristone.
The justices will weigh in on restrictions imposed by the conservative U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which would prohibit patients from receiving the medication by mail, even for those residing in states where abortion remains legal.
They will also consider the lower court’s ruling that mifepristone may only be used to terminate pregnancies up to seven weeks, which underscores the unprecedented nature of this case, the first of its kind to challenge the FDA’s expert judgment on drug products.
It was more than 20 years ago that the agency first concluded mifepristone was safe and effective, determinations that were since reinforced over the years as the drug came into wider usage.
