Mifepristone Manufacturer Asks Supreme Court to Halt Restrictions

Why it matters locally: Texas has some of the nation's most restrictive abortion laws. This Supreme Court decision could affect how medication abortion access is regulated in states with similar restrictions.

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A company that manufactures mifepristone, a medication used in abortions, filed an emergency appeal with the Supreme Court on Saturday. The request asks the court to suspend a recent appellate court decision that limits access to the drug. The appellate ruling, issued a day earlier, would restrict mail-order access to mifepristone. The Supreme Court is being asked to intervene to maintain the existing access to the medication while litigation continues. The details of the company's legal arguments were not immediately available. The case raises questions about the authority of courts to second-guess the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) drug approval process. Mifepristone is currently approved for use up to ten weeks of pregnancy. It is one of two drugs typically used in medication abortions. The FDA approved mifepristone in 2000. The appellate court ruling places restrictions on the drug’s distribution while legal challenges proceed through the courts.