Supreme Court extends temporary order for access to abortion drug

The Supreme Court on Wednesday extended access to the abortion drug mifepristone for two more days, indicating it will act by Friday night. At the end of last week, the court issued a temporary hold on all restrictions on the drug. The Biden administration and the drug manufacturer have asked the Supreme Court to reject the limits of lower courts on the drug’s use, at least while the case moves through the court system.

Where is the drug in the legal battle and appeals process? The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments on May 17. A federal judge in Texas on April 7 revoked the Food and Drug Administration’s 2000 approval of mifepristone. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals intervened less than a week later, allowing the drug to remain available but with certain restrictions. The Supreme Court then put a temporary hold on all the lower-court decisions, thus restoring all access to the drug.

Dig deeper: Listen to Leah Savas’s report on The World and Everything in It podcast about mifepristone’s companion abortion drug, misoprostol.