The Supreme Court on Monday briefly extended access to the abortion pill mifepristone by mail. Justice Samuel Alito extended the administrative stay of a Fifth Circuit Court ruling until Thursday. With the stay in place, mifepristone will remain accessible by mail for now.
Background of the Case
Last week, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals handed down a decision temporarily banning the mailing of mifepristone and requiring that the abortion pill be distributed only in person and at clinics. The Supreme Court issued a stay on the ruling three days later, restoring access last week.
Impact on Abortion Access
The ongoing limbo of the federal case has destabilized already patchwork access to abortion care. Abortion pills by mail account for nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the U.S., and if conservative activists are successful in banning mifepristone by mail, pro-choice experts agree it would be a significant step toward a national abortion ban.
Ongoing Attacks on Mifepristone
There are several ongoing attacks against mifepristone, including a U.S. Food and Drug Administration review of the drug despite a decades-long track record of being widely and safely used by millions. The Louisiana v. FDA case is one of the most sweeping threats to abortion since the fall of Roe v. Wade.
