Supreme Court to hear abortion drug arguments Tuesday

Lawyers for the Food and Drug Administration and the Alliance Defending Freedom on Monday prepared to address the Court’s questions about the abortion drug mifepristone. The arguments are scheduled to occur on Tuesday.

What’s this about? The FDA in 2000 approved the abortion drug mifepristone for use in the United States. In 2016, 2019, and 2021, the agency reduced safety procedures for women seeking to obtain the drug. The Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, the group of pro-life doctors ADF is representing, argues that the drug is unsafe and that the FDA cut corners in approving it for use. It has challenged the agency’s initial approval of the drug and two of its decisions to eliminate safeguards against women improperly accessing it—the decisions in 2016 and 2021. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in August 2023 ruled to keep the FDA’s approval of the drug but issued a stay on the agency’s 2016 and 2021 decisions regarding access.

Dig deeper: Read Travis K. Kircher’s report in Vitals about the Liberty Counsel’s amicus brief to the Supreme Court pointing out the inconvenient history of the abortion pill.