Abortion drug keeps FDA approval for now

The Supreme Court on Friday blocked a lower court order that would have placed temporary limits on the abortion drug mifepristone. The decision means the drug will remain available under its existing approval by the Food and Drug Administration until at least May 17. That’s when the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will review a lower court’s ruling revoking the drug’s FDA approval.

What is the case about? Earlier this month, a federal judge in Texas overturned the FDA’s 2000 approval of mifepristone, saying the agency did not follow proper procedure. The 5th Circuit temporarily reinstated access to the drug but with some restrictions. The Supreme Court has now cleared those restrictions while the legal battle continues.

Dig deeper: Listen to Leah Savas’ report on The World and Everything in It podcast about the other abortion drug used in the United States—misoprostol.