A federal appeals court has restricted access to mifepristone, one of the most common means of abortion in the U.S., by blocking the mailing of the drug. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit ruled that the medication can only be picked up in person from health clinics, effectively blocking telemedicine providers from prescribing the pill during telehealth appointments and mailing it to patients. This ruling overrules regulations set by the FDA and requires women seeking abortions anywhere in the U.S. to obtain the medication in person.
In response, Danco Laboratories and another drugmaker have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to pause the lower court's decision and restore mail-order access. Danco Laboratories filed an emergency appeal on Saturday, asking the Supreme Court to halt the requirement for an in-person exam before the medication can be prescribed. This request followed the 5th Circuit's decision to temporarily reinstate the requirement in response to a challenge from Louisiana.
The drugmakers seek to continue allowing access to one of the most widely used abortion methods while ongoing legal challenges proceed. Meanwhile, officials from the FDA have stated that the agency is conducting a new review of the safety of mifepristone.